Like Vines
by The Thorne
Summary: A series of one shots with a different pairing for every story at least until I run out. There is a chapter guide inside. Each chapter is based of a song that inspired me off of The Hush Sound album Like Vines.
1. Chapter Guide

**Like Vines **

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><p><em>Chapter Guide And Summaries.<em>

_I actually have been thinking of doing this for a while now._

_This is not your traditional series of one shots._

_They are very long. I'm not going to lie._

_Expect them to be around **18,000 words a piece.**_

_With the guide you get to choose which one you want to read rather than choosing blindly. Now you know what you're getting into. _

_As always Read and Review_

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><p><strong>We Intertwined:<strong> She was the child of an affair with a king. Her mother a powerful and legendary priestess. Kept safe in the country side of her father's kingdom, she grew in to a beautiful woman with the heart of a rose. He was the child of a legendary king and his life had been perfect. From the moment they met she was the only one he willingly showed his emotions to. He was the only that she trusted. When her father and mother have both met their end she is summoned to court by her father's widow. She never thought she would see the silver prince again. What does it matter anyway when she is betrothed to a King? Is theirs a love that is meant to transcend time ? Is there love the kind that can transcend death?** _Rin/Sesshoumaru_**

**A Dark Congregation:** When Kagome Higurashi wakes up in the hospital she has no memory of her sister's murder. She wakes up forgetting a group of people, all of which are her best friends. The only one she remembers by name and face is her twin's widower, Inuyasha. As the day of the funeral goes on she recalls certain things about each person. Slowly she is uncovering the identity of the person who killed her sister and yet at the same time finds herself falling for the silver haired Inuyasha. _Who murdered her sister? Why is she allowing herself to fall for Inuyasha when they have both lost someone so dear? Will she be shocked when she finds out the truth?** Kagome/Inuyasha**._

**Sweet Tangerine **: He had never seen her as a woman until he had already lost her. "_We should stay friends forever." _he had told her, but now that he saw her in a new light, he wanted to claim her as his. But it's too late now, she's in love with another. Is he willing to stand by and be the best friend? Is he willing to wait for her to realize that he is the only one can fully love her for her? Can he wait in the dark in anticipation to taste her skin? **_Kouga/Kagome_**


	2. We Intertwined

**__Like Vines**

_Story 1_

_We Intertwined __By The Thorne_

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><p>He hadn't always been this way. He used to have more life in his blood. He used to have a dream that wasn't sad. When he used to dream of her it was always happy but now, he hated to sleep. He hated the dreams of her, because it meant that when he woke up she wouldn't be there. It would mean that she wasn't there to keep him sane.<p>

She was gone and when she had left she took his sanity. He would continue to lay there and stare at the walls waiting for her return. But deep down him knew that she was gone forever. He never thought that he would ever allow himself to become so pathetic. Not when he had once had everything. He hated to sleep, but he hated even more so to be awake where he could not see her at all.

_20 years ago._

_A beautiful child, he had always been one. His hair was as silver as the moon's light and his eyes as gold and bright as the sun. The ivory skin that stretched over his sharp features was like snow. He even had those angel lips, so stained with raspberry juice. He was the picture of a living breathing cherub. He had always been happy. His mother gave him her ethereal beauty while his father had given him the locks of the moon and the grace of a king. The child sat atop his father's shoulders. His mother, who was swollen with child, sat watching him from under the shade of a willow tree. The little boy was smiling, his smile was intoxicating. The happiness that shone beneath the gold of his irises was hypnotizing._

"_My Sesshoumaru, how handsome you are." his mother whispered knowing that he would hear. When he turned his gaze to her a smile kissed her lips because he was everything a mother could ever ask for. His father's face was like that of a boy, youthful, strong, and somewhat rebellious. He was just the right age for his son. He was a father who had joy and bravery in his heart. The way the family acted around each other must have been the of kind behavior that was sickeningly sweet to watch. They were too much to take in at once, like angels they carried themselves. To have a child that had the same beauty and perfection was unearthly._

"_Sayuri, did you hear about the family that has just finished building their palace in the Lord's meadow?" he listened as his father spoke._

"_I have heard. There are many rumors about the family." Sayuri answered._

"_I heard that the woman who lives there now is a priestess, and she has given him a bastard daughter." he said. Sesshoumaru knew what that meant; a lot of the servants had bastard children with one person or another. Sesshoumaru was lucky to be prince of the west, or at least he counted himself lucky._

"_When you are in love does it matter what people think?" Sayuri asked her mate._

"_We are taiyoukai and therefore have no need to have thoughts on what others think of us. We are the highest class of demon and I am lord of them all and you my beautiful mate, are the queen of them all." he said pulling Sesshoumaru from his shoulders._

"_I worry for him. I want him to find true love and hold it forever." Sayuri looked at Sesshoumaru and pulled him towards her. The six year old held on to his mother's hip and smiled at her._

"_My desire is the same as yours, my love." Inutaisho said caressing Sayuri's cheek with his clawed finger._

"_Maybe we should go and welcome them. I know that they won't have many friends around here what with the rumors and all." Sayuri suggested sweetly. Inutaisho could not deny her what she wanted. It was something that she was very much aware of. It was as sure as the beating of her heart._

"_Mother, when will we see them?" Sesshoumaru inquired his large golden eyes staring right into hers._

"_Whenever your father permits, and we must let them rest from their journey to the country." Sayuri smiled. Inutaisho looked over his garden which was only one of the many this countryside manor housed._

_The breath that left each one of his family member's lips went counted by the elegant taiyoukai. He could hear the heartbeats of his child inside his mate's womb. He always brought Sayuri, himself, and Sesshoumaru to this place when his graceful mate was with child. It was her favorite place in the world; she loved the flowers and peaceful mornings. The songs of chirping birds all around her. She may not have seemed the peaceful type but she was very much in tune with nature. Inutaisho could remember that she had begged him to let her birth Sesshoumaru in the white rose garden. Watching her persevere through the mighty contractions that waved over her while she asked, it had been effortless to give into her desire._

"_I wanted to tell you that I am grateful, for your loving me." Sayuri said to Inutaisho who looked into her eyes before he smiled and kissed her gently. Sesshoumaru was of course repulsed by said action only because he was just a child. He rested his head in his mother's lap and could feel the weight of fatigue pulling his eyelids downward. He tried to pull himself out of the sleep he was falling into but his attempts were futile._

_Sayuri swept her hand softly across his silken hair and brushed his long bangs from his eyes. Inutaisho wondered how his son would fair in love._

_He had been besotted with Sayuri from the moment he smelled her scent drifting passed him. His eyes hadn't even been laid on her when he decided that she must be his and then when he caught sight of her he refused to live without her. She was necessary in his life and he had succeeded in making her his._

_The next morning the family dressed in some of their best clothes and made the short journey to the palace where the southern princess had just been brought. Inutaisho waved and one of his servants knocked on the large door. The western royalty was announced and immediately the lady of the house came._

"_I am sorry, I wasn't expecting any one to come visit us. I am honored by your presence." the woman smiled at them with a deep bow._

"_Please, my mate really wanted to become friends with you. She has heard of the nasty rumors which have been spread and wishes to know you personally." Inutaisho explained._

"_I'm Priestess Midoriko. My daughter is being dressed as we speak. I am very pleased that there are some who would choose to know me rather than believe what is said of me." she smiled, she was very beautiful with long shining raven hair and sharp brown eyes. She was a very strong priestess and warrior._

"_I'm Sayuri and this is our son, Sesshoumaru." Sayuri said moving to the side revealing her son._

_Climbing very slowly down the stairs was Rin who was only three years old. All the demons in the room could smell that she was half demon which only confirmed that the rumors were true._

"_I'm sure you've noticed that, Rin, is a half demon. I have no intention of hiding her. She is the daughter of Lord Satori. We are very much in love but he doesn't want the life of court for Rin, nor do I. So I will return to the South for duty after Rin has turned five. She will be the lady of the manor then." Midoriko smiled, looking at her daughter._

"_She has no appearance of a demon." Inutaisho mentioned._

"_Yes, I have sealed it. She has the lifespan of a demon, abilities, and the heightened senses all she lacks is the appearance. I had to seal the blood because I don't know whether or not priestess abilities will awaken in her. If they do and her blood is not sealed she will die a very painful death. It's important that she never breaks that jewel around her neck" Midoriko explained._

_Sesshoumaru felt his nose tingling from her scent, it was something that just made his stomach fill with some kind of fluttery feeling; it was something that could only be described as butterflies. His heartbeat was picking up and Inutaisho realized that his son might have just begun to feel his first crush. Inutaisho smiled and placed a hand on his mate's shoulder._

"_I would find your company to my mate, very comforting. She needs another woman to talk to and it seems to me like you two could get on quite well." he encouraged._

"_My feelings are the same." Midoriko smiled. She led them to an entertainment room where all kinds of teas and deserts had been laid out. As Inutaisho and Sayuri spent time with Midoriko the children were left in a garden filled with sweet smelling flowers._

_Sesshoumaru looked at the toddler, her raven hair spilled down her back like a waterfall of ink. It was gleaming in the light against her milk colored skin. Staring up at him in fascination were the big hazel eyes that hid beneath long black lashes that stretched toward the sun. She pulled his finger into her mouth and started chewing on it._

"_Why are you chewing on me?" he asked her curiously._

"_You smell yummy." she mumbled with the imperfections of a toddler flowing off her musical voice._

"_Hn." he let the noise leave him as he sat on the ground beside her. She returned his finger to him small bite marks imprinted on his skin. She smiled at him and began to run along around in the flowers._

_Around her neck was a long silver chain with a large blue jewel hanging from it. It was beautiful and seemed to shine with a wildfire. Thoughts on what it could be crossed Sesshoumaru's mind; he didn't want to ask but he wanted to know._

_As she was running she fell and a small wound opened up on her knee. The crimson liquid streamed out for only a moment before the cut healed. She looked at her knee and shrugged. Sesshoumaru smelled her blood the metallic scent intrigued him and so he walked over to where she was and took some of it on to his finger. He brought it to his nose smelling it up close and then his mouth was drawn to his finger and he tasted it. It was salty he noticed and he could taste the coppery flavor along with a twinge of sweetness._

"_Sesshoumaru we are leaving now. But you can come back tomorrow." Inutaisho said holding his hand out. Sayuri had her hand placed on her belly feeling for the child within her. Sesshoumaru walked over to his parents following them back to their dwelling his mind still on the child, Rin._

Sesshoumaru stood and walked through his castle, it was silent; the days were dark to him. The weather out seemed to match his mood these days. Heavy rain and dark clouds. It was perfectly fitting he knew. He walked in slow graceful steps. When he passed his dark glum filled aura affected those who were near him.

A sigh left his now pale lips, he hadn't been eating right. One would think that he would not need to eat as a full demon, but he hadn't eaten in nearly a year. He wondered what it was that allowed him to live on, when it was so clear that he saw no point in life. Not without her.

A passing servant saw him, to see him walking around his castle was a shock as well. He hardly left his room sending major decisions regarding the country through letters under his door. He just wanted to smell her one last time and the only place that he would find that scent was the last place she'd spent some of her last days; a place preserved by magic and forbidden entry to anyone save him.

"Rin…" he said as he entered the room, his voice hadn't been used in so long that it was unrecognizable even to himself. He sat down in a chair and took a heavy breath. The comfort of it all lulled him into a safe sleep.

_4 months later._

_It was the early morning in the castle of the great taiyoukai family when Sayuri woke with great pains in the middle of the night. Midoriko had come over with Rin as soon as a young messenger came to her house in a panic. She was dressed in the dullest kimono she owned and she carried Rin on her hip as they climbed into a carriage. The carriage arrived in haste and Midoriko chose to leave Rin with Sesshoumaru in his room. Rin was crying upset that she had been woken up so early. She grabbed on to Sesshoumaru's hand and put her face into his side. Sesshoumaru was aware of what was going, but Rin was not. The only thing she knew was that she smelled a strong amount of blood coming from a room that was far away._

"_It smells!" she whimpered._

"_My mother is birthing a child." he told her in a quiet voice as if were something that was meant to be a secret._

"_Gah!" Rin could hear her scream protruding through the thick doors. She could smell flushes of blood. Her hearing had been sharpening lately and she couldn't focus right anymore._

"_No!" she cried pulling her hands over her ears with salty tears pouring from her eyes._

_Sesshoumaru did not know what he should do to help her. He wanted to, but he didn't know what there was that he could do. It would have to be a secret escape. Rin was afraid and young. Her heightened senses had only just started to peak and everything was overwhelming. He had been trained in his senses while Rin's mother didn't know how to train her to control them._

_Sesshoumaru felt her tears soaking through the cloth of his sleeping clothes. Her eyes were still swelling with more tears and they were flowing so freely. Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand and started running with her down the hall. His grip on her was tight and strong as he pulled her into the garden of white roses. His mother's screams could only be faintly heard even by himself, but he was trying to censor the sounds._

"_Calm down." he ordered her. She stopped crying and took deep shuttering breaths. _"_Pretend you can't hear anything, just focus on what you see." he told her calmly._

_Rin looked at a flower and covered her ears with her hands. Rin watched the rose as the breeze made the stem sway, the way the petals fluttered. Small drops of moisture on the soft petals. She felt Sesshoumaru reach up and pull her hands away from her ears. She didn't hear anything she was listening with her eyes. A smile started to stretch across her face, when Sesshoumaru heard the scream of his mother again. Rin went to cover her ears but he raised his to hers with their fingers intertwined. Her small hands in his, he realized how fragile she was. Frail and in need of protection. He winced and then heard the loud cry of a baby._

"_It's over." he told Rin. She followed behind him as he led her to the room where his new sibling would be with their father. Sesshoumaru knocked on the door and they heard his father laugh happily._

"_Come in, come see your sister." he said. Sesshoumaru walked into the room and saw the soft silver hair on a child white as snow._

"_What's her name?" he asked his eyes widening in awe of the small bundle._

"_Yuuki." his father said._

"_And mother?" he asked._

"_She is resting." Inutaisho said his eyes tracing the crescent on the newborns forehead. Sesshoumaru was in a way dreading this day. Now they would be going to their main castle in the west. It meant that the great taiyoukai family would be away from this country heaven._

_Sesshoumaru knew that he would not see Rin for a long time. He began to catch himself memorize the small child's scent. The smell was a mix of roses and vanilla; a breath of sweet air whenever she passed. Sesshoumaru held tight to Rin's hand as Midoriko called her name. Rin pulled from his grasp and towards the direction of her voice. Midoriko walked in with the scent of blood on her hands. Rin still walked towards her. She could never fear her mother's face._

_Midoriko noticed the protective air that surrounded Sesshoumaru as he looked into her eyes. He finally released when he realized that he was staring at her as if she had stolen something from him. Sesshoumaru knew that she wouldn't hurt Rin, but at the same time he didn't want her to take Rin away from him._

"_It's very early and Rin still has to prepare herself to start her schooling." Midoriko said as Rin walked towards her. Midoriko was a strong woman with a brave heart. She was known far and wide as the most powerful priestess in all the land._

"_I'm very tired." Rin said as her mother scooped her up in her arms. Midoriko nodded._

"_I'm sorry for calling you here on such short notice." Inutaisho apologized._

" _It was nothing at all. Sayuri has been a great friend to me these past four months." Midoriko said. These were the kind of demons that would never need to fear her. They were the kind that were peaceful and loyal._

_Midoriko carried Rin home. When they arrived she placed Rin in her bed and smiled at her. Rin looked at her mother and smiled back. Midoriko brushed a hair from Rin's face and tucked it behind her ear._

"_You, know. I'm really sorry that I couldn't explain what was happening to you. It was very hectic. I know you must have been afraid." Midoriko said sitting on the side of Rin's bed._

"_I was very scared!" Rin said._

"_I know, baby. At least you weren't alone." Midoriko said._

"_Sesshoumaru, took me to the garden and helped me cover my ears." as she said this she covered her ears._

"_It seems that he is very fond of you." Midoriko smiled. Rin was a princess of the south even if she wasn't the daughter of the Lady Yuuriko, she was the first and only child of the south. It was a widely known fact that Yuuriko was a barren demoness and had only been married by Lord Satori because it was arranged by his parents. Something that had never been in his plans, he had tried to run away with Midoriko many a time and finally did the one thing he could, and made her his mistress. They were very public with their affections for each other. Rin was born and was the first and only child of Satori, making her the only heir._

"_He is very pretty, just like a rose!" Rin exclaimed to her mother, who smiled in response._

"_He is very handsome isn't he." Midoriko said._

"_Yes." Rin said with a yawn._

"_You look so beautiful right now, my little princess." Midoriko said kissing the top of Rin's head. When she looked down at her, Rin was fast asleep with her long lashes brushing across her cheekbones. Soon the day for the western royalty to go back to court came and they were gone as quickly as they came. They swept by to say their farewells and were gone again just as if they had never been there at all. Rin cried as Sesshoumaru said his farewell to her. The parents of each watched with a knowing eye._

_6 years later_

_It had been quite a time since Rin had seen Sesshoumaru but he was different now, he was if possible even more handsome and angelic looking than before. The way he carried himself was more refined more elegant. Inutaisho stood next to him with his hand rested on his shoulder. A breath left his lips as he turned to speak to the nine year old before him. Her glossy raven hair had grown longer and was tied behind her back in a long braid. She could feel that he was not happy but he wasn't angry either._

"_Rin, my deepest condolences for you." he said, Rin had been getting many letters and many gifts from people. Recently her mother had sacrificed her life to save the demon hunter village she was born and raised in. Rin had been devastated when she was first made aware of the sad truth. However, she was now very numb. Apparently while at court Sayuri and Yuuki had become very ill. It was Sayuri's request that she be in the country side while she recovered. Inutaisho looked tired. Sesshoumaru looked exhausted, but he was holding on. Rin looked towards his gold eyes._

"_Thank you." she replied politely. Sesshoumaru noticed how the tip of his nose still tingled when he was in her presence. The same rose and vanilla creeping through his senses. A pleasant smell that he had memorized the day he left. The smell that had become a part of what he loved about this countryside. Something that he searched for wherever he was. She was in better control of her senses now, he noticed. A smile hovered on her lips for a brief moment and was gone as quickly as it had come. She was still very young, only nine years old._

"_Since my schedule is going to be very full with preparations for Sayuri and Yuuki. Will you help to keep Sesshoumaru company?" Inutaisho asked._

"_I will try my best. Although I don't know if I will be able to entertain him as well as you hope. I am but a country girl and don't know the lively life of court_._" she explained._

"_I'm sure that you are much more entertaining than anyone at court." Inutaisho said seriously._

"_Thank you. I will not keep you here any longer and allow you to continue with your preparations." Rin said. She was very bright for her age and very mature. Sesshoumaru watched her as she turned her back. Sesshoumaru knew that she remembered him very well. Rin could smell something on him that had always made her feel more comfortable than his own home. A brush of their hands made her look up at him. She was alone now and her mother had died._

"_Sesshoumaru, should I call you lord or prince?" she asked him curiously._

"_Neither, we are old friends are we not?" he asked her looking down to her hazel eyes._

"_Well. It was a long time ago, a time that is hard for me to remember. I was not sure whether you would be comfortable with that or not." she told him._

"_Well, should I call you Lady Rin, or Princess Rin?" he asked her._

"_You can call me whatever you'd like, Sesshoumaru." she smiled at him. They were innocent as children tended to be. However, many father's at court were offering their daughter's hands to him._

_Sesshoumaru watched her as she ran through the garden of wild flowers. This was Rin's place of peace, she ran here when she wanted to get away from her lessons or her teachers. Rin stood there, she had inherited her mother's great power but there was something she knew. It was not something that was good. She hid it from everyone and pretended that it wasn't the truth when she could. Sesshoumaru was not bored as he expected himself to be as he watched her. He felt as if everything were fine in the world. For a moment he caught himself forgetting about the illness that plagued his mother and sister. He could not understand why when he was around her. It was insanity._

"_Rin, I think my mother is going to die." Sesshoumaru found that the words left his lips easier than he expected._

"_Everyone dies one day." she said, she had only lost her mother a few weeks ago, just below the mark of a month. She stopped moving in her tracks._

"_I know that, but, it's not her time." Sesshoumaru said, he heard the worry in his own voice. It was hard not to be completely honest with his emotions around Rin. It was frustrating to him._

"_I'm not sure, what you want me to say. Maybe you only want me to sympathize for you because I can. But I am barely coping with my own losses." Rin shouted, her eyes were watering against her will. She could feel the tears that she had been holding back start cascade down her cheeks. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he didn't know what he should do._

"_I do not know what I expect from you." he said, she fell to her knees and began to sob. Each racked her body he did not even realize that he had taken steps towards her until his arms wrapped around her shaking frame. She dug herself deeper into his chest and cried. All he thought were the many apologies he wished he could mutter for bringing her further pain._

_They had spent many moments together for the next three months. His mother had seemed to be getting stronger every day and so did Yuuki but the great dog demon still watched ever careful. The best healers and the best medicines were created for them. The young princess and the beautiful queen were told they were in the best hands. Inutaisho never left either of their sides for more than an hour._

"_My love," he whispered to her._

"_You cannot leave me." he told her in her ear. She smiled at him raising a frail hand to his cheek. He leaned into it._

"_I am trying my best not to." she told him, she sounded so tired. This was one of the few times that Rin and Sesshoumaru were granted entry to see the two royals. Sayuri watched as her son tightened his grasp on Rin's hand. He was afraid, she could smell it. Sayuri looked at them with a smile and motioned with her other hand for them to come forward. Sesshoumaru looked at his mother. Rin stood behind him and watched as he observed his mother._

"_I want you never to refuse yourself love. Never let anyone steal your love from you." she told him. Yuuki was laying in the bed beside her mother._

"_I won't." he promised._

"_Inutaisho, I am so tired." she told him tears building behind her eyes, her voice was tight._

"_Don't say that." he begged her. Sesshoumaru had never seen his father beg. It dawned on him that this would probably be the last time he saw his mother._

"_Mother, I don't want you to go." he told her. Rin's grip on his hand was tight._

"_I do not want to leave you my son." she confessed as the tears rolled down her cheeks._

"_Inutaisho, do not live your life without a companion once I am gone. Fall in love again." she told him._

"_I can't-" he was opposing the suggestion._

"_Promise me" she interrupted_

"_I promise you." he said with that Sayuri closed her eyes for the final time. Sesshoumaru froze. Rin wrapped her arms around him tightly, his nose catching her scent._

Sesshoumaru woke in the room that hung heavily with the scent of vanilla and roses. He could practically taste her. He had cried in his sleep; down his cheeks were tear stains. His heart ached as he thought of her another bought of tears climbing from within him.

He was so angry with her. He was so upset that she had never thought to tell him of what was happening to her. Sesshoumaru thought of her face, she had smiled at him before the tears came down from her eyes. He had done what had always been natural to him, he held her in his arms tightly and breathed in the scent of her hair and the sweet perfume of her skin. He remembered how she watched his eyes, with every blink, he had counted every breath she took. He had tasted her lips over and over wanting only to hold her forever. He felt so at home here surrounded by her scent as sleep took him again.

_7 years after that._

_Sesshoumaru was a handsome prince now. He seemed to shimmer like a god wherever he went, a cold look on his face. He despised his little brother. He despised his brother's mother even more so. A terrible anger filled him as she passed. His father had died to protect that woman. His rage seemed to grow and grow. His father had taken them away from the place where his mother died moments after her death. He hadn't seen Rin since he was twelve._

_He hadn't forgotten her, he had thought of her every day for two years and slowly she began to fade from his mind. He watched as the women of court threw themselves at his feet. He was beautiful and he had a high title. Lord of the Western Lands. He had heard of Lord Satori's death. Luckily when, his father had died his step mother chose to immediately let the title go to him rather than to keep it for herself. Sesshoumaru had an extreme dislike for the woman who was now ruling the southern lands. Lady Yuuriko. There were many rumors of the southern princess joining court. For even if she was illegitimate she was the only heir to the title._

"_Yes, I plan to marry her off as soon as she turns seventeen." Yuuriko said as Sesshoumaru passed her._

"_And it shall not be to anyone of the west. I think that the eastern lord, will take interest in her." she continued to another woman of the eastern court. The girl was smiling at the woman, she was a princess of the eastern court her brother was the reigning lord. His name Kouga. He had always had a weakness for priestess'. It was something in their purity. He liked to take them and taint them. He liked to make them love him and then throw them away. This Yuuriko hated Rin with such passion that she would take her from her life of peace so she could watch her suffer. Sesshoumaru had always forgotten that Rin's was a place of power. She was as he was a royal. Inuyasha stumbled around on the floor beside his mother._

"_It is none of my concern, I'm sure, but once the princess of age will she not take over her duties as sole ruler of the south?" Sesshoumaru asked the sinister woman._

"_She has already been promised to Lord Kouga, and I will be his chief advisor when it comes to the southern lands. That bastard child will never have claim on those lands again." Yuuriko said._

"_Do you hate yourself so much for not giving your husband a child, you barren witch." Sesshoumaru said, he was struggling to keep his composure. He had not felt this rage in his life. This was much more violent than what he had for his step mother._

_This made him feel like an animal. An animal that should never be unleashed. This was when he knew why his nose tingled at the scent she threw off. It was because she must be his and no one else's. She belonged to him and he would never stand for another man holding her. She would never belong to anyone but him._

"_If you'd like to keep the peace between the west and the south, I'd suggest you stop insulting me." she whispered to him._

"_I will spare my guests, the revolting sight of your blood splashed on the walls." he said walking away. Izayoi had never seen Sesshoumaru so angry before. Almost every head turned at the threat that slipped beneath his lips. Her hand clasped tightly around the young Inuyasha's._

_Midoriko would have been proud of him, she and his parent's both knew of the feelings that would grow in the hearts of their children. It wasn't long before the party ended that Izayoi felt the need to talk to him. The words he had spoken to her were only when absolutely necessary._

"_Sesshoumaru?" she called as she knocked on his door. His golden gaze slid to the door where the sound came from. When he did not answer she opened the door and found herself pinned against the wall silently._

"_Why are you in here?" he asked her quietly. Izayoi could not help but think how alike he was to his father right now. A beautiful face, but he held the grace of his mother in his features as if chiseled by god._

"_Do you love the southern princess?" Izayoi asked him bravely. He unhanded her and began to laugh. He had never showed any emotion before and this was a frightening thing for Izayoi._

"_I love no one…" he lied._

Sesshoumaru sat up in the room. He could never spend too much time in this room. He tried to dream of other things. He only saw her when he slept. It was much easier for him to live inside his dreams, where he could be with her forever. Her smile, her face, the way she had instantly wormed into his heart. She was everything he cared to know.

Sesshoumaru left his room and stared at the door as it closed. The castle was still maintained by his servants, he just didn't host any type of gatherings or social events anymore. He would leave that to Izayoi she was still after all alive. He was grateful for that. Inuyasha was just about a man now. Yes, he was prince, however, he never acted the part. Sesshoumaru could hear him running around through the heavy doors. Sesshoumaru had never been so tired in his life and now it seemed as if life could not satisfy him. His room was dark and smelled of him. He climbed into his bed and closed his eyes.

_3 months later._

_She was beautiful, she was more than he had ever expected. A stubborn look on her face. Her lip curled as she sat beside her 'mother' as she was forced to call Lady Yuuriko. Her long hair waved lightly and was pulled back behind her. She was clothed by a kimono of magnificence. It was in the colors of her family crest royal blue and deep violet, like a fading night sky. Embroidered with stars and the moon._

_Her features had softened, her lashes seemed longer than all the demoness' that were present in the room. Her scent was floating around the room and all noticed._

_Sesshoumaru could feel the power of her priestess abilities fogging the air around her. She hadn't seen him yet, could it be that she had forgotten him? She had grown into herself. The full lips stained by the blood of strawberries, and her light hazel eyes darting around the room looking for the first escape she could picture._

"_Rin, I would love for you to meet, Lord Kouga." Lady Yuuriko said. Rin feigned perfect etiquette. A brief and forced smile stretched over her pearly white teeth. Kouga's eyes seemed hungry, he wanted her. His electric eyes traveled her body which was developed beautifully. The curves looked softer under the kimono. He was no doubt imagining her without them in his mind._

_Sesshoumaru could his blood begin to boil with every second that Kouga's eyes lingered. Rin made an excuse to freshen up and Sesshoumaru found in that the perfect opportunity to talk to her. To see if she remembered how natural they were. His stride carried him to her._

"_Rin?" he whispered as he caught her in a dark lonely hall; she gasped as he pulled her into a small space._

"_Sesshoumaru…" she said in surprise. She threw her arms around him and he let out a great sigh of relief as she did. He hadn't realized how worried he had been concerning her memory of him. Rin breathed in his scent of spices and fresh air. She had not known that his being there would comfort her so much. She never thought she would see him again after the death of his mother and little sister._

"_I did not think you would remember me." he whispered into her ear, pure happiness flowing from his voice._

"_I could never forget you. I thought I would never see you again." she said into his chest. There was a fluttering feeling bouncing around in her ribs and a sense of home in her heart._

"_I planned to go back." he told her._

"_I hate this place. I hate court." she mumbled, he could smell the salt of her tears and he could feel it through the soft material of his top. She was crying on him softly._

"_Are you alright?" he asked her tenderly._

"_I'm just happy that there is at least one person here that I can trust." she confessed pulling herself away from him. Sesshoumaru looked at her._

"_I am sorry that they forced you to come." he told her._

"_You look so different when you are here. You look so stoic and cold." she said to him._

"_I know." he replied._

"_I thought maybe you had changed." she said looking into his eyes._

"_I will always remain the same for you…" he told her._

"_Can we escape this place?" she asked him with a smile on her lips._

"_There's a field out of town, no one but me ever goes there." he told her._

"_Really? Take me?" she asked like a child with happiness._

"_I promise you I will." Sesshoumaru looked at her he could not help but to smile at her, a dazzling smile that was rare on this King who always seemed to have no emotion. As they returned to the ball room Izayoi took notice and she witnessed the smile that was there for less than a second and saw the straight face he lived with return. She watched the southern princess with intrigue._

_Around her neck was a small blue jewel glowing with life. Rin took her place beside Yuuriko who continued to parade the beauty around Kouga. Kouga was very interested in her hand. As the party closed, Yuuriko led Rin to a room that was very near the eastern lord's quarters. Rin slipped into her sleeping yukata and laid back on the futon. She could hear Kouga rustling about in his room which she realized was right next to hers. She could smell his hormones from here._

_Then as she was falling into a light sleep she saw, through the side of her eye, a figure tall and proud in her doorway. She sat up in the bed with a deep breath as she watched the figure take steps closer to hers. Each movement was graceful and silent like a cat stalking in the night._

"_Who is that?" she whispered._

"_Sesshoumaru." he said his name so lowly that only those with advanced hearing would understand. A smile passed her face as she breathed a sigh of relief._

"_What are you doing here?" she asked him, it was dark so he couldn't see the blush that covered her cheeks._

"_Come with me." he ordered lightly, sticking out his hand._

"_I'm not properly dressed." Rin laughed as she took his hand, she looked at his other hand which held a basket filled with from what she could smell something sweet._

"_Now, get on my back." he said to her, she blushed as she watched him crouch down. She leaned her body on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck loosely, he grabbed her legs in his arms and looked at the window that was open._

"_You realize how dangerous it is to keep your window open." he commented before a smile took his lips._

"_No, why?" she asked, his answer was in the form of him jumping out of the window and her letting out a soft yelp as they fell through the ear._

"_I will never let you fall." he promised her, his deep velvet voice swirled in her ears. Rin smiled at this and waited for the impact of the ground._

_Sesshoumaru landed with the grace only a demon could conjure. He ran far away from his castle and through the thick forests that surrounded it. Once he stopped Rin saw the most enthralling sight she had seen in her short life. The flowers seemed to glow under the silver light that was spread by the moon._

_She climbed off of Sesshoumaru's back and let her eyes take in the beauty of the meadow. She could not believe that this was a real place. She was in awe. Sesshoumaru watched her face change with delight as the sight filled her with joy. His honey eyes seemed warm as he watched her. The side that only she was allowed._

"_Please, tell me that this is all real." she begged as she turned to him, a sight that stole her breath. His hair was loose around dipping over his shoulder as his golden eyes watched, the snow white skin that he had seemed to make him glow, with a silver crown of glittering hair. His face so content, she stopped in her tracks and watched his eyes watch hers._

"_It is very real. I come here when I need to be alone." he answered._

"_Then why, did you bring me?" she asked him. A smile cracked at the corner of his lips._

"_I like to be alone with you." he answered. She said nothing in response only blushed at his words. She could feel butterflies take flight in her stomach. He motioned to a blanket that had been laid out while she had admired the beauty of the meadow. She sat beside him as he opened the basket which revealed sake and strawberries. He watched as she smiled, why he had not realized the feelings he held for her earlier was a mystery to him._

_Then he recalled the words Lady Yuuriko had spoken earlier and he felt his blood boil with in him again. Rin noticed the change in him as well._

"_Is something wrong?" she questioned the atmosphere had changed drastically. s_

"_It's nothing…just Yuuriko is trying to contract your hand to Lord Kouga of the East." he answered._

"_What?" she asked in shock._

"_She wants you to marry that, savage wolf." he spat out._

"_I do not love him." she protested._

"_Yuuriko hated your mother, I think she will do anything to see you suffer." Sesshoumaru said._

"_You cannot choose who you fall in love with." Rin said._

"_Rin…I will try to help you the best I can." Sesshoumaru told her._

"_Am I worth a war? I assure you she will wage one if she suspects you of ruining her plans and she will include Lord Kouga in it." Rin said._

"_You are worth my life." he told her, Rin froze in her spot and stared at him. Her eyes were wide as she watched his face. He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers._

_It was as if fire had been shot into every one of her veins when he kissed her. A feeling that she didn't want to stop, but could not bear to control. She pulled herself away. He watched her this was the first time that he felt nervous, he feared her rejection._

"_You cannot possibly imagine how much those words mean to me." she said, he felt a weight lift off of his shoulders and realized that he wanted to cherish every moment they spent together. Rin was nervous she was shaking all over._

_They talked about their everyday lives, they caught up with each other about the years they had been lost to each other. Sesshoumaru explained the life of court to her and then he took her home as she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her lips stained with the blood of strawberries. He very tenderly placed her in the bed and kissed the top of her forehead before leaving unseen by anyone. He may have been unseen but he was not undetected._

_Sesshoumaru's heart had not felt so light since he was a child and she was the reason then too._

Sesshoumaru smelt the plate of food that was just outside his bedroom door. He could smell it but the scent did not affect him. He may have not eaten for ten months, but still the hunger he felt burning in the pit of his stomach was not enough to make him see past his misery.

He thought of her and only her. He was young, too young, to feel this dejected. He remembered the night that he had first kissed her and tasted the strawberry blood on her lips. It was his first kiss as well as hers. Why hadn't he realized it then? How could it be that he had not known? A chill ran down his spine as he thought of her end.

A howl of anger left his body as he started scratching at the walls in his chamber as he tore the room thread for thread violently. He hadn't realized the gashes he tore into his own skin. He couldn't smell the salt of his tears because of the metallic scent of his blood. He almost wished that he would bleed to death. His body wracked as a pitiful noise left his mouth. He should not be doing this. He should never cry. He was the western lord. The king of ice and no emotion. He should not feel anything. She was lost to him, his world seemed to be a pit of deep nothingness without her.

'_I will feel nothing until you return to me._' he thought drifting into sleep so that he might see her smiling face.

_Rin's presence had been in court for three months now and she was eagerly awaiting the day that she would be able to take over and rule her father's land. She had learned to keep to herself, she trusted no one there. She had watched as father's used their daughters in order to attain more lands for themselves._

_A breath escaped her lips as she walked through a lonely hall. A hand grabbed her from behind and pulled her into an empty room. She smiled expecting to see her old friend. When she realized that who she saw was Yuuriko her face sunk. She made no attempt to hide her feelings on this. Yuuriko in turn showed her full disdain for the girl with every gesture she made._

"_I have contracted your hand with Kouga. You will marry him in one month and make him lord of the east and south." Yuuriko smiled as she watched Rin's face turn into one of horror._

"_I, beg you, don't make me marry him. You can keep my father's lands for yourself. My only desire is to return to the countryside and live in peace." she said_

"_You have bigger thoughts in that disgusting half breed head of yours. You are nothing but a whore just like your mother. You think I do not know of your late nights with the western lord. I know and you should be happy that such a respectable man, is willing to have you still." Yuuriko said._

"_We do nothing but talk. I swear it. We are friends from childhood." Rin explained she was on her knee's before Yuuriko._

"_Well then, why is that every time you enter the room his scent changes as does yours?" she asked._

"_I do not know. Maybe because we are friends." Rin struggled, getting a pang in her chest. It hurt like a fire tearing away at her heart._

"_The contract has already been signed. The only thing that will save you from this marriage is death. You will mate him and you will bear him pups, is that clear?" Yuuriko said, watching with mirth as tears slid from Rin's eyes._

"_I beg you, no." she sobbed sinking to her knees she felt the pain spreading through her entire body._

"_It is done." Yuuriko walked away from Rin. Sesshoumaru stepped from the shadows as soon as Yuuriko was well away. Rin's body wracked with sobs as she buried her face in her hands. Sesshoumaru scooped her up in his arms and took her to his chambers where no one was allowed but him. Not even servants came here. If they did Sesshoumaru killed them. He sat her in a chair and wiped her face with a wet cloth. She watched him as he cleaned her face struggling to compose herself. He wiped looked into her eyes and ran a hand through her soft locks._

"_I will try and send other offers his way…and if that fails then I will take him to war." Sesshoumaru said._

"_I don't want to put your kingdom in any danger." she said slowly through the pain that was raging war inside of her of her very veins._

"_My kingdom is incomparable to what you mean to me." he told her, never had he been able to be so open with himself than when he was with her._

"_I will not be the cause of a thousand deaths." she said firmly._

"_You will not rage war on his kingdom over a woman." she told him. Sesshoumaru was shocked at the tone she had just used with him. The pain had dispersed and was gone now. She breathed in deeply._

"_I refuse for him to have you." Sesshoumaru said with anger in his silk voice._

"_We can resolve this in a more peaceful manner I hope." she said._

"_Let's try this your way and if it does not succeed I will take pleasure in ringing his neck." Sesshoumaru growled at the end of his statement. Rin watched him, she had never seen him so ferocious in their time as friends._

_Sesshoumaru looked at her eyes and then took her mouth with his wrapping his arms around her. Rin's arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer to her. He was kneeling in front of her, his torso between her clothed legs as he kissed her. She pulled away from him her hands tangled in his hair._

"_I cannot…" she told him. She feared what would happen. Her mother had warned her what could happen to her should she mate a demon, and that would only happen if her jewel shattered around her neck._

"_I can wait for you." he said to her his eyes on fire like golden embers._

"_How long will you wait?" she asked him, her eyes welling with tears._

"_As long as it takes." he kissed her knuckles._

"_I love you, Sesshoumaru." she said to him before she stood and left his chamber in a hurry leaving him there._

_As the days passed Sesshoumaru threw beautiful girls in front of Kouga's eyes each failed as Rin was continuously placed in his sight by Lady Yuuriko. She seemed to know of Sesshoumaru's plan. Rin of course did her best to sway his desires to another. Kouga watched her with those electric eyes that Sesshoumaru had grown to hate with a passion. He watched the way Kouga pulled her close whenever they danced during balls. His blue eyes savoring every curve of her body and it made Sesshoumaru want to tear him limb from limb._

"_Lady Rin, I have to say you look lovely tonight." he told her._

"_Thank you, Lord Kouga. I think that Lady Kaoko, looks extraordinary tonight more so than I." Rin said with a smile. A smile that made Kouga want to drag her to his chambers at once. He wanted to see her surrender to him, he wanted to watch her beneath him as she became his. He could control himself for now because he knew that she would be his soon enough. Their wedding only one week away._

_Yuuriko knew what Sesshoumaru had been planning with Rin the whole time. She had kept a close eye on the pair as they stole kisses from each other in the dark. She could sometimes smell him on Rin. Although she could also tell that Rin was still as virgin as a babe. Still she could always spit lies into the eastern noble's ear and watch him become wild for her._

_Rin sat beside him at dinner her eyes always darting to Sesshoumaru. He remained as stoic as a statue, but she knew that later he would hold her and whisper into her ears of what they would have together in the future. Yuuriko snuck into the bed chamber of the eastern lord, he was not asleep but was alone however._

"_I have something to tell you." she said._

"_You should not be here." he said his deep and rough voice making her a little bit nervous. He was handsome with his strong jaw and black hair, lightly tanned skin, and those glowing eyes._

"_It is about Rin and the western lord." Yuuriko threw the bait and he took it._

"_What is it?" he asked the woman._

"_I fear that if you do not take her now, then Sesshoumaru will." she lied, she knew that Sesshoumaru was of honor, he would formally marry the girl before he bed her._

"_She will be mine, and he will watch as I make it so!" Kouga bellowed angrily. The very thought of not being the first to tread on such virgin territory that was contracted to him made him feel as if he would explode. He swung his arm across a table knocking it over. Yuuriko flinched a little bit._

"_Rin, will only produce a full blooded heir, if after the deed is done you break the jewel that hangs round her throat." Yuuriko said to him. Kouga nodded at her and began to concoct his plan to show Sesshoumaru and Rin who she belonged to. Kouga knew that if there was any love in Sesshoumaru's heart that he would not risk Rin's health._

_Sesshoumaru would be able to do nothing at all. Kouga could care less, let there be war after but he would have won in the end._

"_You shall see who will win." he chuckled to himself. It was only two days later that all his preparations were made. Since Kouga's kingdom was preparing to leave_

_Sesshoumaru's court soon anyway, he did not need to keep peace. For once his marriage to Rin was final there would be no reason to stay here. Kouga watched Sesshoumaru who looked at Rin over the dinner table. It was the middle of the night when he had crept in the darkness to Rin's room. He had it silenced by one of the priestess's he owned. They all would do anything he said, for he had brainwashed them all with his charming words. There were at least eight of them in the room, with all their weapons drawn and ready._

_Across the castle Sesshoumaru felt something was wrong in his bones. He rose from his bed and ran to Rin's room where he crashed into the chamber but alas he heard no sound. He saw Rin sleeping soundly in her bed a wave of relief rushed over him as he sighed._

"_You sound relieved." a deep coarse voice said, Sesshoumaru had been so worried when he rushed over that he had not paid attention to the foreign scents present in Rin's room._

"_What are you doing here, Kouga?" he snarled dangerously._

"_I've come to take what's mine." he said._

"_I'll rip your throat if you touch her." he spat violently coming closer to him. Then he felt it, a burning power restraining him. He watched the purple energy that threaten to purify him if he dared to move another step closer to Kouga._

"_Why do you want her so bad?" he asked, Kouga heard it in his voice the desperation._

"_She's intoxicating and beautiful. Her dowry is large and she will bear me strong pups." Kouga said._

"_I…love…her, please." Sesshoumaru had never humbled himself to anyone in his life and now he couldn't do anything but that in an attempt to save her._

"_That's too bad then isn't it. You have been stealing kisses that should be mine and now I will show you, who she belongs to." he spoke as he walked over to the futon she laid in._

"_I am begging you to leave her be." Sesshoumaru said his head hanging. Kouga laid his hand on her hip and allowed it to roam to her waist then closer to her chest._

"_I think, I shall not." he said as his hand caressed her. She moved in her sleep with a soft moan escaping her lips. Yuuriko was standing outside the door._

"_I will give you my lands, just leave her." he begged, Kouga was nearly at a loss for words at this offer._

"_Tempting, but not as tempting as this." he said pulling the covers back from her, she awoke with a start and recoiled to a corner of the bed. She looked around the room which was lit by the burning purple energy. She looked at Sesshoumaru who had fear in his eyes and at Kouga who watched her with that menacing smile._

"_I see my bride to be is now awake and ready." Kouga laughed, Rin attempted to use her spiritual abilities to keep him away but felt a burning pain every time she did. She tried to run for the door but Kouga grabbed her ankle as she did so causing her to fall to the ground mere inches away from Sesshoumaru. She looked into his honey eyes and then looked away. Kouga pulled her towards him._

"_Why are you running, future wife?" he asked as he started to undo her robe. She pulled herself away from him and tried to run again but he caught her and threw her to the ground with one hand. She screamed as he pulled the yukata off of her._

"_Please! Don't do this to me!" She was exposed to all. Rin fought against him but he instead bound her hands with the robe, they were now behind her back._

"_Why princess, you are mine all the same!" he laughed as his hands groped her._

"_Do what you will, just not with him here!" she cried._

"_No, you will both get what you deserve for stealing from me!" he said. His hands slipped between her legs._

"_Please! Don't! Please! Stop!" she cried as he touched her._

"_Stop, this!" Sesshoumaru screamed, he fought against the power which burned his skin with each pull away. Kouga slapped Rin across the face hard and the smell of her blood filled Sesshoumaru's senses. His eyes began to glow red as he tried to break free. Kouga started to touch Rin all over and she began to sob the sounds of her moans that were also whimpers driving Sesshoumaru to tears._

"_See, Sesshoumaru, see how her body responds even though her pretty lips say no?" he asked him as his hands cupped and played with her. Sesshoumaru refused to look up, having to hear her sobs and the moans that she could not control was enough for him. His tears slipped freely from his eyes._

"_Don't look at me, Sesshoumaru." she begged with shuddering breaths. Kouga was angered by this and lifted her by her hair._

"_I want you to watch or I will kill her." he said raising a razor sharp claw to her neck._

"_Please, don't look at me!" she sobbed, she could feel his claw lightly dig into her neck. Sesshoumaru looked up and saw her. Her face so full of shame, her eyes so full of misery, and her body responding to the touches that Kouga was distributing. He slid his hand between her legs and he watched Rin wince as he pressed his finger in. Sesshoumaru was unable to tear his eyes away. He wanted to die himself. He had never felt so useless in his entire life. He heard watched her back arch as she moaned._

_The glittering blue jewel that he had wondered about for so long shimmering around her neck, turning black. Kouga threw her on the floor and undid his pants and in one fluid motion forced himself inside her. Sesshoumaru watched in horror as Rin cried, sobs wracking her body which was already being rocked back and forth by the rhythm of Kouga's hips._

"_Don't look at me…please…don't look at me." she cried over and over again, but Kouga's claw remained at her throat until he had released his seed deep within her. He ripped the jewel from her neck and smashed it in his hand._

_Her blood curdling scream was heard as she twisted in excruciating pain on the floor. Her body shook and her fingernails became claws, her hair grew longer, and her hazel eyes turned to burgundy. The seal that her mother had placed on her demon blood had been broken. The awe that the other priestess's were in left a moment for Sesshoumaru to break free of his bindings._

Sesshoumaru could feel that his cheeks were wet when he woke. The sound of his own sobbing had been what made him rise from his slumber. He looked at the torn room and it looked very much the same as hers that very night. Her eyes had been so filled with misery, with shame. Anger filled him again as he destroyed the rest of his room his eyes red with anger. What he wouldn't do to change that night. The things he knew that he would try to save her from such pain and embarrassment.

Izayoi sat near his door listening to the commotion that went on inside the room. She knew what happened that night, no one but her. It was the first time he had spoken to her willingly. She knew that he blamed himself. She knew that if he could he would have died in her place. Izayoi, knew of the boy's tragedy, the death of his mother and sister had affected him deeply and Rin had been the only he showed his emotions to after.

Inuyasha was only ten years old and Sesshoumaru had barely spoken a sentence to him. She could hear him break down into sobs as he fell to the ground of his room. Izayoi wished that she could comfort him. He always tried to be so strong before, he was the icy king of the west and now he was always alone in his room. He sought no comfort, it was as if he was awaiting his death.

_When he had finished ripping each priestess piece by piece he looked around the room to find her but he found nothing but the shards of her jewel on the floor with a few drops of blood. He released a scream of despair. Izayoi hearing the scream ran to his room. She was only his step mother but she cared for him deeply._

"_What's happened?" she saw his tear streaked face and did the only thing she felt she could do, pulled him into her arms just like a mother._

"_I could do nothing to help her." he screamed._

"_Tell me what happened!" she urged, here was the lord of the western lands, a man who always disliked her, now crying in her arms._

"_Kouga, he forced himself on her. I could do nothing to help her. All I could do was watch!" he screamed. Izayoi felt tears building up in her eyes. Sesshoumaru never deserved all the pain in his life. He was but a boy just becoming a man, a man she had no doubt would fill his father's shoes with this woman by his side. The woman however was married to a demon of the worst kind, a man raised wild, a wolf._

"_Where is she?" Izayoi asked softly._

"_He's taken her with him." he told her._

"_You have to get her back here." she said._

"_Shall I declare war over a woman?" Sesshoumaru asked. She nodded and soon the western army was prepared for battle. By the time the troops were ready four months had passed, Rin had been living in her own personal hell for four months. Kouga never left their bed. She was well swollen with child now. Her holy powers were purifying her blood which meant she was slowly dying. That the blood her heart was pumping through her veins was considered as poison._

_Rin only thought of running the entire time she was in the palace. Rin also knew that she should be going into labor any day now. Kouga was expecting a strong and healthy boy, one that he could name after himself. Rin had to focus every day for hours in the presence of three monks so that she would not pass any purification powers to the child she carried._

_Rin had nightmares every time she slept, her once healthy frame was far more thin than she should be at this stage of her pregnancy. Beneath her eyes were heavy purple depressions, otherwise known as bags of exhaustion. A breath of fatigue escaped her lips._

_She ate only when forced, she laid as if she were dead. Her father's once great kingdom was at the feet of Kouga. The one thing she could say about him was that he was faithful, he had never once looked at another woman since the night he stole her. Rin couldn't barely think of Sesshoumaru without crying. She thought about him every day when she stared out the window overlooking the gardens._

"_Sesshoumaru…it was not your fault, it was never your fault." she whispered the words she would say to him if he were there._

"_I still love you, more than life." she said, she wished he could hear the words. She could feel the fire in her veins again the demon blood was being purged. She doubled over in pain and let a cry of agony fall of her tongue. A monk lifted her to her feet as she was lifted a ball climbed up her throat. A splash of black slime hit the floor but more and more climbed up her throat. She was fading in and out of consciousness as she watched Kouga speed into the room, he placed her in their bed and left her under the supervision of a nurse._

"_It's getting worse isn't it?" he asked her, she refused to look at him, she refused to talk to him._

"_You better not die until you have given me my son." he said, slapping her across the face. Her face was gaunt, no longer did she have the blushing face or the peachy skin. Her hair was tied back behind her neck. She felt the child kick inside her. Strong legs, she remembered as he had broken three of her ribs on multiple occasions. A strong healthy boy grew inside her._

_Rin pressed a hand on the swollen abdomen that had once been flat and cried._

_Sesshoumaru had been hiding near the castle for a long time. Planning to rescue Rin. Rin felt a strong wave of pain over her pelvis, and a splash of water hitting the floor. She was in labor. She cried out in pain as midwives rushed in the room._

"_Well, Lady Rin, let us hope that this son will satisfy him." An old woman said._

"_Nothing will, satisfy that monster." Rin said through gritted teeth._

"_Just relax and push." the old women ordered._

"_I'm always tired, and it burns to live and keeping all the energy to myself is killing me faster." Rin said, she cried as she pushed. Within a few hours a baby boy was born._

_Kouga walked into the room and scooped the child into his arms looking at the electric blue eyes and the beautiful face his mother had given him with the boyish qualities of his father._

_Sesshoumaru's army was not far from the castle only about three hours away. Kouga was making the arrangements to have her and his son taken far into the south. Kouga looked at his son who was chewing on his finger with his gums._

"_Kouga, has been a family name for many years." he informed Rin, she ignored his words keeping silent and to herself._

"_He will be strong and fierce like his father, but beautiful like his mother." he told her, he was still trying to win her over._

"_I hate you, do not waste your flattery on me. My heart will never sway to favor you. You disgust me and I'd rather be dead than spend another moment with you." Rin spat._

"_I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you." he told her._

"_I have hated you from the moment I learned your name, from the moment I arrived at court. I have only loved one man and you have defiled me before his very eyes. You have taken everything from me." she said tears falling from her eyes._

"_I wanted you and you did not want me, so I did what I must and I took you." Kouga said, trying to keep his voice calm._

"_You should have left me alone. You only wanted what you could not have." Rin said._

_Suddenly a loud noise filled the air. Kouga looked out the window, Sesshoumaru's army had followed them and was watching the royal family. Sesshoumaru tore the door off of its hinges the loud shriek of a baby crying filled the air. At that he froze, even though he should not be shocked that Rin had borne a child._

_Kouga jumped on Sesshoumaru's back and wrestled him to the ground. Sesshoumaru pulled away from him forcefully punching the wolf demon in the jaw. Sesshoumaru slashed him with his poison claws, Kouga writhed as the poison made his skin rot. He left long gashes against the chest of the dying demon. Sesshoumaru tore him to pieces ignoring the cry of the baby. Still in his blood lust he picked the child up and let the poison drip from his claws._

"_He's just a baby, Sesshoumaru…" he heard a weak tired voice say. He looked around the room seeing only a fragile looking frame near the window._

"_Why should I let him live?" he howled angrily, he knew this was the child conceived on the night that he had truly lost his ability to show emotion to the world. The night that he had lost everything, the night he became scared with the image of Kouga on top of the woman he loved, while he did nothing._

"_He is my son and he has done nothing wrong." he turned at the voice and looked into the face of the woman he could barely recognize. She was seventeen years old beautiful, but her face was skeletal and under her eyes the deep bags from sleepless nights._

"_Don't you know what he is conceived of?" he asked falling to his knees in front of her, she took the baby from his grasp and cradled him._

"_He was conceived from misery and shame, selfishness and evil but that does not make him so. He did not choose his conception." Rin said as sobs left her. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arm around him taking in his scent, one that had always made her feel safe._

"_I am sorry that I could not protect you. I am sorry that I could do nothing but watch. I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to save you. It was my fault that he did this to you. If I had been there sooner-" he said to her tears falling down his cheeks._

"_You have saved me now and I have never blamed you. It was planned by him and Yuuriko days before it happened." Rin said._

"_Let me take you home…to the country side." he said to her. She smiled at him for a moment before fainting in his arms. When she awoke just as he had promised she was in the country side dressed in a warm kimono, bathed, and had many plates of food laid for her._

_Sesshoumaru had the child, Kouga, being taken care of by nursemaids. Rin was weak and her hands shook when she tried to eat. Sesshoumaru held her hand in his to steady and sometimes he even fed her. Rin's pains were getting worse, she was throwing up more than she had been before._

"_Rin, please…be my mate…be my queen…my lady." he said, he saw in her eyes a sparkle of happiness and he kissed her lips softly gently unsure._

"_I will…then…Sesshoumaru. Together with Lord Sesshoumaru forever." she whispered. He smiled at her and three days later they were married. Rin felt the burning pains again, it was like acid washed through her veins, she would not allow him to see her in pain again._

_She didn't want him to think that this was his fault. Rin loved her child but she couldn't be around him for too long, he had too much of his father in his blood. Sesshoumaru cupped her cheek and kissed her lips, lightly. She kissed him back as his hands roamed her body carefully, gently, and tenderly. Then he made love to her, real love. Each touch, each kiss, every whisper filled with love and she felt every bit of it._

"_I love you, you know." he said looking down her eyes, her head was rested on his chest she smiled at him weakly._

"_I know." she said, then the fire poured through her again. She sat up and ran trying to get to a waste basket but she didn't make instead stumbling to her hands and knees as she threw up the black ink like substance. Tears fell from her eyes as it continued to come up._

"_What is this?" he asked touching the liquid and smelling it. It smelled like her blood but this was of a dark black and not crimson._

"_I just…I must have eaten something." she lied, he looked at her. He knew she was lying he could see the fear in her eyes. Sesshoumaru lifted Rin from the floor and took her to the bathhouse. He pulled her into the warm water with him._

_She was pale and sickly, he realized. Her lips chapped. His fingers traced and lingered on the spot where he had marked her as his. She was officially the queen of the west, reigning alongside him. Sesshoumaru refused to leave the country side, until she was better. However with each passing day she seemed to get worse. Then one day, a nurse came to him._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, I have something to tell you. It is of great importance." she said._

"_How is Rin?" he asked._

"_She is resting, my lord. She has stopped her bleedings." she informed him._

"_She has stopped her bleedings. She's with child." he said. The nurse answered._

"_Summon Izayoi and Inuyasha." he said, he trusted Izayoi that was one thing that he could safely say for the human woman that captured his father's heart. They were there with in a few days. Izayoi stood before him, Inuyasha, was wandering the gardens. Sesshoumaru looked at her. Inuyasha was still a child and she was still young._

"_Will you care for her?" he asked, he was prepared to hire the best healers possible so that Rin might get better._

"_I will, do my best. Where is she? What ails her?" Izayoi asked._

"_I don't know, she has been sick since I rescued her. Now she is with child, my child. A prince." Izayoi had never seen Sesshoumaru with such a look on his face._

"_I will do everything I can." Izayoi promised, she left the room and walked to the room that Rin was in. As she walked into the room, she saw Rin who was in the bed still and pale as a ghost. She was far too thin to be with child._

_Rin felt the black slime climbing up her throat as a violent convulsion sent it to the floor. Rin sobbed as it left her, she looked miserable. Izayoi looked at the expulsion. She smelled the blood, it smelled as if it were rotten and dead. She looked at the gaunt face that looked back at her. Pity rose in her chest. Such a sad life this girl had lived and she was only seventeen years old. The poor southern princess raised in isolation, taken to court against her will, raped, kidnapped, forced to bear a child, and now dying when she had just gotten a chance with the man she loved._

"_Lady Rin, please tell me what is wrong?" she asked gently of the girl who stared at her through sad hazel eyes._

"_I would have rather died that night, then to have him watch me die this way." Rin struggled to say._

"_You are with child, my lady." Izayoi told her._

"…_I have to get up…Help me…" Rin struggled._

"_You have to rest!" Izayoi said. Rin looked at her._

"_You don't understand, I have to concentrate. If I don't this child will die!" she cried tears pouring down her cheeks._

"_You are too weak, you have to eat and sleep." Izayoi begged._

"_I cannot. I have to keep my mother's blood away from the child, I have to keep what my body is trying to purge away from it." Rin cried another wave of acid pulsed through her veins, shortly after more of the rotted blood poured from her lips._

"_I do not understand!" Izayoi screamed she had never seen such a thing._

"_My demon blood, is not agreeable. I am a priestess and my body is trained by instinct to destroy all the demon blood I possess. I should have died before I turned to of this which I am dying of now. My mother sealed most of my demon blood into a jewel. A jewel that Kouga broke the night he killed me. A jewel he broke so that I would be sure to bear him a full demon son." she cried she felt her abdomen contract violently._

"_The nurse said that you were two months along. Does the child kick?" Izayoi asked worried. Rin felt a warm rush of something between her legs. Noting the way that Rin had said Kouga killed her. She in away probably had died that night. Humiliated in front of the man she loved, forced to bear a child to the monster who had done it._

"_I have failed him…I…cannot…I failed." she cried pulling the blankets to her legs. Izayoi took the covers from the weak woman who lay in the bed near motionless now. She saw the crimson blood that pooled in the bed. The baby was lost._

"_It's my fault, if I were stronger I could have protected him…I could have kept all the poison to myself." Rin cried as Izayoi cleaned her. Sesshoumaru walked into the room the stench of the blood was overwhelming. He scooped up his fragile mate and took her to the bath and once he had dressed her he took her to a meadow with a blanket and basket with strawberries. They had always been her favorite. Just as all her time was spent in his library eating them in his company._

"_I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru." she whispered._

"_For what you have given me more than I could ask for." he said, he wanted her to save her strength._

"_I should have told you, earlier. I am dying and there is nothing anyone can do." Rin said._

"_I know…and it kills me." he whispered watching her._

"_I'm afraid, to die." she sobbed into his chest._

"_Do not be, we will meet again, I promise. You will be as beautiful then as you are to me now. I will protect you better. I will watch over you so much better. It will Together with Lord Sesshoumaru forever. I promise you." he vowed he felt as life left her._

"_I love you, Lord Sesshoumaru." she whispered with her last amount of strength. He sat there crying over her for an hour before carrying her limp body home. He ate dinner and went to his room where he did not emerge again for many months._

Sesshoumaru felt his eyes open, he could smell Izayoi outside the door. He stood from the floor and walked out of his room. Izayoi had fallen asleep with his little brother asleep next to her. A twitch in each ear as Sesshoumaru passed them. He walked to the room where, the southern and eastern prince was crying. With one arm he lifted the one year old and turned to the nursemaid, a wolf demon.

"This is the prince of the East and South, he is called Kouga. I want you to take him deep into the Southern forest and raise him there. His castle is destroyed, his land in ruins. Let him build up his land after he has grown in the wild." Sesshoumaru ordered handing the child that had pieces of Rin in his features to the old wolf demon.

"You are letting him keep his birthright?" she asked in shock.

"I cannot bear the sight of him. If he is here for one more hour I will kill him." Sesshoumaru warned.

"I understand." and with that Sesshoumaru became the icy king of the west, he left his castle and wandered for many years. So many that when he returned he found that his brother was sealed to a tree and his father's widow dead.

Lord Sesshoumaru perfectly named for his killing perfection one that had become more and more practiced. He killed in hope that it would invoke some kind of feeling within his now truly emotionless heart.

**_Fin._**


	3. A Dark Congregation

**Like Vines**

_Story 2_

_A Dark Congregation By The Thorne_

_Read and Review_

* * *

><p><em>Kagome was sitting in a room, her arms were stained with blood, the crimson color splattered across her face, and tears streaming down her cheeks. A knife was grasped between her fingers slackly. She didn't understand the tears that were cascading so freely from her almond shaped eyes. A breath left her lips, a long shuddering breath. The room was small and seemed to be getting smaller with each passing second. In only an instant, the blood was gone and the once knife was now replaced with a red rose, that Kagome griped loosely with her long thin fingers.<em>

_The rose was just a bud that was slowly blooming. Her breathing sped up as the room grew cold in the winter air. Kagome stood dropping the rose on the floor, her neck turned to an open window. The crisp air of winter could be tasted on her lips as she took soft steps towards the window. Outside of the window there was no snow, the window did not even lead outside._

_She could see herself lying in a hospital bed with a few people hovering over her. Everyone seemed to be waiting for her to wake up. Kagome looked at herself, she looked peaceful as she slept. A whisper in her ear took her from her observations._

"_Don't remember." the voice was strong and masculine, Kagome felt her body being pulled downward it until she made impact against a bed._

Kagome felt her eyes opening, she was met with blurred vision. Staring into her brown eyes were a familiar pair belonging to a silver haired man; her brother in law, Sesshoumaru. His gold eyes were just like Inuyasha's she remembered. Everyone in the room watched her with anticipation, only two faces being recognized by her.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. She tried to remember the last time she was awake and she couldn't. She felt lightheaded as she tried to sit up.

"Not, so fast." ordered Sesshoumaru as he lifted her chin and took a small light to her eyes.

"Where am I?" she asked looking around.

"You had a nervous breakdown, its reasonable, considering what you found." Sesshoumaru said.

"Are you my doctor?" she asked, recalling that he was a brain surgeon.

"I usually don't deal with these sorts of trauma, but you're family so I took this on." Sesshoumaru said nonchalantly. She knew that he was only ever interested in the challenging trauma and tumor cases. As far as Kagome knew he had never lost a patient, post-surgery or during. He had built his reputation so that he could have the fat paycheck that he does. Kagome rubbed her eyes and looked around the room.

"Thank you, have you seen my sister?" Kagome had a rotting feeling in the depths of her stomach.

"I have to speak with the nurse who's taking care of you. She's been very worried about you." Sesshoumaru said, Kagome's eyes focused tying to read his name tag. '_Sesshoumaru Taiga, M.D, Neurosurgeon'_ she read. She watched his figure leave the room.

A few minutes later a young woman walked into the room. She was pretty and had an air of fresh life. Her eyes were hazel and her long brown hair was braided over her shoulder. She wore scrubs, they were the cute kind. A flowery top and pink bottoms with white sneakers.

"Hey Kagome." she said.

"How do you know my name?" Kagome asked nervously.

"Oh, well. For one I'm one of your best friends," she said "and your name is on the sheet." she pointed to the end of the bed where a metal clipboard lay.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you." Kagome assured her. The nurse bit her lip and looked hard at Kagome in confusion.

"Well, I'm Rin. I think Dr. Taiga should have another look at you." Rin said with a worried expression on her face. Yet again Kagome was left in the dull room alone. The only sounds were those of beeping machinery that monitored her. Sesshoumaru walked in the room and took another look at Kagome's chart before he began his tests.

"Do you know who Sango and Miroku are?" he asked her.

"I'm sorry I don't." she answered/

"Do you know who Inuyasha and Kikyou are?" another question shot out.

"Yes." she nodded.

"Do you know me?" he asked. She nodded. Sesshoumaru sighed and looked at Rin who stood patiently at the door.

"How about her?" he pointed.

"No." she shook her head.

"I'm going to have to diagnose you with selective amnesia." Sesshoumaru told her.

"Is it serious? Will I ever remember?" Kagome asked nervous tears building up behind her eyes.

"This usually only lasts a few days so no, it shouldn't be serious. I really have to go, so, Rin here will take good care of you." he said standing up and leaving the room. He gave Rin a certain look and she blushed a little bit. Rin went about her business in the room, changing Kagome's IV and updating her chart.

"I'm sorry, that I can't remember you." she apologized.

"It's alright, it's not your fault. I'll talk to you the same as I always have." Rin smiled.

"How old are you?" Kagome asked.

"Hm. I'm not comfortable answering that." Rin laughed mischievously.

"So are you screwing my brother in law?" Kagome asked crudely.

"That's my boss! Why do you ask?" Rin made a shocked face.

"Just the way he conversed with you, without speaking and you blushed." Kagome said.

"Ha, he just teases me a lot." Rin answered.

"Like?" Kagome asked, she didn't know what else to do.

"I'm a real klutz, once he had to help me clean an empty room, because I kept falling around and knocking stuff over." Rin said,

"I have to go now, but Inuyasha said he'd be coming around soon. So when you get discharged maybe we'll see each other again." Rin smiled and briskly left the room.

Kagome watched the door close. She wondered who she would be discharged to, surely they wouldn't allow her to stay alone. '_Kikyou where are you? You are usually here when I need you.'_ Kagome thought nervously. Her eyes darted around the room. She could hear the slight commotion of the nurses, patients, and emergency cases.

Every time a baby was born the beginning of a lullaby would play. Kagome fell asleep to the sound of Mary had a little lamb. Not long after, the younger Taiga brother entered the room silently. He watched Kagome as she slept. Her raven bangs rested across her brow bone, he wanted to touch them.

"Kagome, please, don't remember." he whispered silently. She began to stir in her sleep he sat back and wore a solemn face, which was a rarity for him. Her chocolate eyes opened and caught sight of him.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, he nodded and held her hand.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, but, where's Kikyou?" Kagome asked, why was Kikyou's husband here while she was not?

"Kagome, do you remember anything from two days ago?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shook her head. Worry started to grip her heart tightly as she started to run the possibilities through her mind.

"Where is she?" Kagome asked again.

"She passed away, two nights ago." Inuyasha said, he couldn't allow a tear to escape him. It was a sad event but he wanted to be strong in front of her. He knew she was aware of his grief. Kagome released a pitiful cry and began to sob. Inuyasha reached for her wrapping her arms around her.

"You're lying!" Kagome shouted beating her fists against Inuyasha's chest.

"It's the truth. I've made all her funeral preparations already. I've been staying with your mom. I'm working on selling the house… I'll be moving soon." Inuyasha said. Kagome was now silent and staring at his face blankly.

"Do you know when I'll be discharged?" she asked in a far off voice.

"Sesshoumaru, is briefing your mother on the kind of care you are going to require as we speak. You'll be discharged in a few hours. It's only because Sesshoumaru has a patient who needs this room." Inuyasha answered.

"I want to go home." she whispered.

"So do I." he said to her. Kagome's mother, young brother, and grandfather spilled into the room and surrounded her. Everyone had puffy eyes and hoarse voices especially; Kagome's mother. Kikyou had been their golden child, and Kagome took silver every time; second best to the perfect daughter they had.

Kikyou was older by an hour. They always joked about how Kagome hadn't been ready for the world, because she was so stubborn coming out.

Sesshoumaru walked in, and brought Kagome out of her musings. She watched as everyone practically stood at attention in Sesshoumaru's presence.

"Now, Kagome's brain is in a fragile state right now. She may not remember you in the morning, just gently explain to her the situation. This will pass as time goes on." he informed them lightly.

"Do not try to force her to remember anything as it will be useless. The only thing you will gain is putting her brain under further pressure." Sesshoumaru said.

"Hey, all!" came in the cheerful Rin. She dealt with death all the time, she watched patients die on the operating table, die in the waiting rooms, she didn't know how to react towards death anymore.

"Rin, I think patient 241 needs you." he motioned to her blinking beeper.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Rin said disappearing as fast as she had come. Sesshoumaru stared at the door for a moment longer than he should have making Kagome even more suspicious then before. Sesshoumaru turned to the group readied Kagome's discharge papers and explained what her care would entail once more, just for precaution. The Higurashi family signed and took care for their remaining daughter. Her mother, Hikari, kept a watchful eye on her youngest, and now only girl as she walked into her childhood home.

Nearly everything was the same as it had been when she was growing up; Kikyou's many trophies, certificates, and awards. All Kikyou's greatest achievements hung along the walls for all to see. Kikyou had a natural talent at being good at whatever she felt worthy to try. Piano, the violin, the flute, singing, and archery. They were all things she had worn with pride, also things she wore as Kagome trailed behind her. Kagome had always wanted to be just like her.

"Kagome, would you like something to eat?" her mother asked tenderly, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. Kagome looked over and shook her head slightly while she continued to look at pictures of her sister. There were only a few of Kagome herself on these walls; one when she graduated high school second in her class, second to Kikyou.

Hikari watched from the doorway wondering what was going through Kagome's mind. Kagome looked at a picture of Kikyou; it was one of her mother's favorites. It had Kikyou's arms wrapped around Kagome, planting a soft kiss on her sister's cheek. Kikyou always had such grace and the countenance of a high class woman.

"Is this some kind of nightmare?" Kagome whispered looking at a picture of Kikyou smiling, with her law degree in hand.

"We all wish that it was, but it isn't." her little brother, only seventeen said.

"I'm tired, I think I'm ready to go to sleep." Kagome said, she of course remembered her family. The only people she couldn't quite remember were Rin, Sango, and Miroku. She felt like she was doing something wrong by not remembering them.

"You know where everything is, don't you?" her grandpa asked quietly. Kagome nodded and walked up to the room that was hers when she still lived with her mother at the shrine. Kagome sat on her bed and looked in the mirror sadly. She saw the face of her sister, pale, scared, and forgiving staring right at her. Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes as tears began to pour from them like a waterfall. She couldn't stop herself from sobbing as she laid on the bed. Soon she began to fall asleep even with her tear drenched face.

_Kagome was only ten years old the first time that she had realized she and Kikyou were very different. Sure they were twins, but Kikyou wasn't clumsy or chubby as people affectionately called Kagome._

_Kagome and Kikyou walked into a ballet studio; Kikyou instantly felt at home in the open room filled with mirrors. They were dressed identically with fitting black leotards and little black ballet slippers. Kikyou looked around gripping Kagome's hand in hers._

_Kagome looked at her sister's sharp determined eyes as she located the teacher. Their instructor was a tall and lean woman who seemed to float along as she walked. She called it grace._

"_You must be the Higurashi twins." she said her voice was very willowy which depicted her character perfectly._

"_That we are." Kikyou answered._

"_Names, my pretty little doves." she demanded smoothly._

"_Kikyou Higurashi." she said, and nudged Kagome lightly about three seconds after. The teacher looked up awaiting Kagome's introduction._

"_K-K-Kagome Higurashi." she stuttered as she always did when she met people with an intimidating quality._

"_If you can't speak properly, then please just stay silent and obey," she looked at Kagome. "I am Yuuki, I will teach you how to walk on your toes so well that you will glide everywhere you go." she smiled tossing her dark hair over her exposed snow white shoulder._

_Kagome watched Kikyou who still tightly gripped her hand._

"_I want you to apologize to my sister!" she ordered the instructor._

"_Why is that?" Yuuki bent to Kikyou._

"_You were very rude just then." she said bluntly._

"_Clever girl. I apologize, little Kagome." she said, with such an air that Kagome knew it was insincere. Kikyou excelled in ballet instantly while Kagome struggled to keep up in the class._

_Kagome was naturally off balance and had trouble not tripping over her own two feet. In the end she had a lot to thank Yuuki for. Kagome became an adept dancer although she didn't seek to master it as Kikyou did. After four years Kikyou had learned all there was to learn from Yuuki. She also had pursued music in the form of piano, violin, and the flute. All things that added to her grace and beauty._

_That was when she first met Inuyasha. Kikyou first met him while he waited for his brother outside the violin studio. Kagome had been on her way to meet Kikyou so they could go pick up a prescription for their grandfather. She hid and listened to their conversation._

"_Hi, I'm Kikyou." she introduced herself._

"_Who cares!" he replied rudely._

"_Hm, you should because I'm the only one out here willing to talk to you." she smiled at him, Kagome watched through her hiding spot in a bush. Her heart was beating wildly as she stared at him. His silver hair was tied in a braid with a baseball cap and he wore a red shirt with loosely fitted jeans._

"_I'm Inuyasha." Kagome knew she would never forget his name, or his face. The sharp angles of his cheekbones and chin, his thick eyebrows, and lastly those golden eyes that seemed aflame with life._

"_That's interesting." Kikyou said._

"_What is?" he asked her._

"_You're very cute." she said sticking her face close to his, he blushed and looked away from her. Kikyou was nervous, Kagome knew it, that was the reason why she would blurt out her thoughts so bluntly._

"_Why are you saying that kind of stuff?" he asked his face still three shades darker than before._

"_I just wanted to see what you would do." she lied to him._

"_Well, you're really pretty." he said, Kikyou blushed turning her gaze from his._

"_Why did you say that?" she asked him._

"_Because it's the truth." he answered, he grabbed her hands, and turned towards her. Inuyasha looked at Kikyou, the way Kagome wished he would look at her… if he knew she existed._

"_I don't know what you mean." she laughed. Kikyou looked at him once more._

"_You can dish it out but you can't take it." he said._

"_Hm, you're kind of funny." she said looking at him._

"_Well…thanks." he said and scratched the back of his head. Sesshoumaru strode out of the building with his violin case._

"_I hope your audition went well." Kikyou said to Sesshoumaru. Kagome looked at his face which was unchanging._

"_I was obviously accepted," he turned to Inuyasha "Let's go."_

"_Why are you such an ass?" Inuyasha shouted at his older brother._

"_I'm leaving." the tall boy said passing Inuyasha up._

"_It's alright, maybe I'll see you again sometime." Kikyou said._

"_I'll probably be back here tomorrow." he said._

"_I'll definitely be here tomorrow." she smiled turning to leave._

"_I'll see you then." he said watching her back as she turned a corner. Kagome started walking out of the bush when he caught sight of her._

"_I thought you were leaving." he said._

"_I'm going home right now." Kagome said, luckily today she and Kikyou were dressed the same. Each wearing their school uniform. A short plaid skirt in grey and blue with a white blouse and blue ribbon._

_Kagome knew that she shouldn't be talking to him, especially if he didn't know that she wasn't Kikyou. Kagome blushed and walked slowly away from him. Inuyasha ran up to her and grabbed her arm turning her around. He stared into her chocolate eyes not noticing that they weren't as sharp as Kikyou's and planted a kiss right on her lips. Kagome's lips._

_He pulled away and stood there with a blush and then walked away. Kagome watched his ebbing back. She raised a finger to her lips and felt a small tingle where his had been. Kagome ran home that day feeling the heavy weight of guilt on her. Kikyou sat on her preferred love seat when Kagome walked in._

"_Why were you spying on me?" Kikyou asked her in annoyance._

"_I wasn't spying. I wanted to pick you up but then you were talking to that boy and I didn't want to interrupt." Kagome said only thinking of how he took her first kiss. Her lips itched for more at the thought._

"_Good, because, Kagome I think…that…I'm in love." Kikyou said._

"_You just met him, how can you say that?" Kagome asked as if Kikyou had lost her mind._

"_You wouldn't understand." Kikyou said as she picked up her violin. Kagome knew that she was wrong because Kagome knew the tingling feeling she had stained on her lips was too much to ignore. The way her heart started to beat wildly when she saw him, the smile that had stretched across her face as she watched them from the bush._

Kagome woke up her eyes swollen and the sound the stillness of the early morning. She groggily pulled herself from the bed and looked outside where fresh snow was falling from the sky and piled onto the already snow covered ground.

Her voice was still dry from sleeping as she stretched her arms, feeling as though she forgot something important. Hikari walked in and walked towards her daughter and led her to the closet.

"Do you remember what we told you yesterday?" she asked.

"Kikyou is dead." she said flatly looking out to the snow covered land.

"Yes, do you remember the nurse Rin?" she asked.

"I don't…" Kagome whispered with a frown.

"It's alright, you'll get better." she kissed Kagome's cheek. Everyone got ready for the wake and dressed in the appropriate black for mourning. Kagome lifted her chocolate brown eyes and surveyed the group of people that stood in the hall.

A small shrine dedicated to her twin sister, Kikyou, was against a wall in the foyer. Kagome lifted a finger to the wedding picture and traced the shape of her sister's face. Her eyes then drifted towards her sister's husband. A man with eyes like the purest gold and hair as platinum as the moon. She could feel a flutter rise in her chest. Kagome shook her head a small smile falling on her face. _Inuyasha Taiga_, a man of irresistible attraction. He was known to be stubborn, rash, and the present but rarely witnessed benevolence.

Kagome was dressed in the drab hues of ebony and grey. She wore an unflattering dress and loafers. They had been very close as sisters were, as twins tended to be. It felt strange to be living without her in this world.

"Kagome, I'm sorry for your loss." A pretty woman said to her. Kagome could recognize her from family events and things of similar nature. She couldn't however place her name or importance.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember your name." she apologized. Kagome recalled waking up to a room filled with doctors hovering over her only two days before.

"Don't apologize. My name is Rin Taiga. I'm Sesshoumaru's wife." she said with a soft smile.

"I just can't believe she's gone." Kagome said, turning again to the photo. Her sister's eyes had been filled with light at the moment this picture was taken. Inuyasha looked just as he should, a newly wed in love.

Kagome turned her attention to the people who were mingling. Her eyes scoping the room for him, the widower with the silver locks. She felt a hand on her shoulder and there he stood before her with his golden gaze locked on her eyes. '_There is something, that I know, I should remember about him._' she thought as he smiled halfheartedly at her.

"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry." she quickly said.

"It was a loss for us both." he said, looking down at her. There was something off about him. Kagome thought he would be more upset at a time like this. She thought he would be mourning her sister deeply and yet he seemed fine. She walked to a table that had refreshments and small snacks spread over it. He followed her or so she thought he was following her.

Kagome and he reached for one of many coffee pots filling a Styrofoam cup with its heat. As her eyes observed him she noticed that he seemed to be completely at ease in her presence. She took a sip of coffee trying to remember the day her sister had married this man. Of course with her luck, nothing came out of it.

"You seem to be concentrating pretty hard." he teased looking at her scrunched up face.

"Shhhhh." she whispered, she was really trying.

"Don't try so hard. Your memory will come back." he told her sipping calmly from his cup of coffee. He had learned to be calm when he married Kikyou. Kagome took a sip from her coffee her face returning to normal as she seized all efforts in resuming her memory.

"That's right. Sesshoumaru told me that I should just relax." she said, Inuyasha peeked at her.

"Didn't you have something nicer to wear?" Inuyasha scuffed at her choice of dress.

"It's my sister's wake!" she said as if what he had just suggested was blasphemy.

"Exactly. Do you know what she would have said? She would have said why are you wearing that old style, when you wear something people will know how it looks on me and I don't want anyone to think of me with such, boring clothes." Inuyasha imitated her.

Kagome could help but giggle a little bit knowing that it was the truth. Kikyou had always been that way. Kikyou had always known how to carry herself. Even though they were twins she always found ways to outshine Kagome. A tall woman with brown hair walked up to Inuyasha and Kagome. Her eye shadow a light pink and her eyes caramel brown. Her hair was held in a high ponytail with straight cut bangs. Somehow Kagome knew her name but not who she was.

"Sango, right?" she questioned.

"Yea, you know me, I've been your best friend since second grade. Rin over there has been one of our best friends for I don't know, three or four years now." Sango smiled at her disoriented friend.

"I feel so bad. I didn't remember that, I'm sorry." she apologized.

"You have been through a lot recently. It's understandable." Sango replied pulling Kagome into a tight warm embrace.

"_Don't remember._" she whispered in Kagome's ear before releasing her.

"What?" she asked confused. Sango just raised her finger to her lips and winked before walking off. Kagome watched Sango wrap her arm around that of her husband, Miroku.

She felt a nervousness building in her veins. The Shinto priest came in the room and lit incense around the open casket. Everyone slowly, one by one piled into the seats. They were seated in order of importance so logically Inuyasha and Kagome were in the first row. The priest began his sermon of goodbyes and then called Inuyasha to the podium to say some words about his late wife.

"I remember the day that I met Kikyou. I looked at her and thought she was the most beautiful girl I would ever know. I say girl because I met Kikyou when we were in middle school. She was such an angel and I couldn't imagine living without her…and it's going to be so hard to live without her now that I have no choice. She was always so caring and kind to me.

Being a nurse at the hospital, and doing pro bono law wasn't easy work for her; I know because I was the one who got to massage her feet, her perfect little feet every night.

Having her taken from me is really breaking me down. I'll never forget the day that she had yelled at me for the first time and came back kissing me repeatedly telling me not to remember. I always let her think I had forgotten but that was the moment I love the most in our relationship." Inuyasha gave his small heartfelt speech with teary moments in between.

Kagome walked to the stand and thought of something to say; in only a moment things came spilling easily out of her mouth.

"Me and my sister, Kikyou, were very close. So close in fact that she always told me that when we were angels waiting to be born that we had become such great friends that God decided to let us be born together and that we would never be separated. I guess that God decided Kikyou needed a vacation from living in the stressful world of earth and so I'm going to have to wait to earn my vacation.

She's in a better place now and I just hope she knows how much we all miss her and how jealous I am that she's not here with me." she broke off into a slight sob. Rin walked over and wrapped a protective arm around Kagome.

"I'm sorry." she muttered the unnecessary apology to the group before running to the nearest bathroom. Rin trailed behind.

"Are you alright?" Rin asked her eyes never leaving Kagome's hunched over form.

"I think so. " she mumbled weakly looking into the mirror. She wanted to remember so badly what happened.

"_Don't remember._" Kagome her the words leave Rin.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because, you'll be happier that way." Rin answered.

"I want to remember." she walked up to Rin.

"Then, you'll know soon enough." Rin pulled the door knob.

"Please…I just lost my sister." Kagome cried.

"You haven't lost her, you've only forgotten." Rin opened the door and walked away from Kagome who was struggling to regain her composure. Kagome took a deep shuddering breath.

She walked out into the hallway. She looked around and sat on the steps where she struggled to keep her tears inside. '_Kikyou, what happened to you?_' she thought. Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Sango. Kagome looked at her friend with a small amount of confusion.

"It's okay, Kagome. She's just a little upset. You probably don't remember but you will because you've always been so determined." Sango said.

"I wish I knew why." Kagome sighed.

"It happened about a month ago. You were the first one she told and she was so angry at you. I remember that you told me you held her tight and let her cry." Sango sounded like it was a serious thing that had happened.

"I should know what it was. I feel so useless and confused right now." Kagome mumbled sadly.

"It's ok. No one wants you to remember, no one in the room. It's something that no one should have to remember." Sango said.

"How old is Rin?" Kagome asked.

"That rascal, she's only seventeen." Sango said. Kagome's brown eyes widened she felt her head tug and lighten as her body moved forward slowly. She felt like she was falling down, and then she realized she was.

She felt her limp form fall right into Inuyasha's strong arms. She hadn't even noticed him standing there. His golden eyes bore into her depths and it was then she knew that he had been listening the entire time. Inuyasha cradled her in his arms protectively as he led her upstairs.

_This was the second time that Kikyou and Inuyasha met, it was outside the same music studio. Kikyou had just finished her violin lesson and Inuyasha was waiting for his older brother. A young man who we all had learned was rather extraordinary. He had graduated at the top of his class after being skipped from middle school to high school. Meaning he graduated at the tender age of thirteen._

_He had graduated a four year college course in two years and was now in his second year of med school. At seventeen he was continuing to pass with honors. Sesshoumaru had always been an overachiever while Inuyasha struggled to fill his shoes. Inuyasha reached for Kikyou's hand shyly where they leaned on the wall. His fingertips grazed hers and he blushed when she let her hand slip into his._

"_Hey Kikyou…" he started._

"_Yea?" she asked him._

"_Can I kiss you?" he asked, Kagome thanked god that he hadn't said the word again._

"_Okay." she blushed looking down at her shoes. Inuyasha stood in front of her and lifted her chin with his finger, and slowly brought his lips to hers. Kikyou's eyes closed softly as did his. He wrapped his arm around her waist and continued to kiss her._

_Kagome watched; she felt as if her heart had plummeted all the way to the soles of her loafers. She breathed in heavily feeling tears rush to her eyes. 'I have no right to feel this way._' _she told herself. Watching as Inuyasha pulled away, but Kikyou threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again._

"_I like you a lot." he confessed after pulling away for the second time._

"_I guess that you're okay." she laughed at him. He sulked. _"_I like you too." she said to him._

_His eyes opened wider with pleasurable shock on his face. Kagome watched afraid that her sister would find out that she was spying on them. Inuyasha looked at Kikyou and held her hand, neither looking at each other. This time when Sesshoumaru walked out he eyed both of them, taking notice of their intertwined fingers. Sesshoumaru had plenty of girlfriends and had plenty of encounters but this was the first time he had seen his younger brother showing interest in anyone._

"_I thought you were gay for a while." he commented before walking passed the pair. Kikyou laughed softly and looked into Inuyasha's eyes._

"_I have to go." he said looking after his brother._

"_I do, too." Kikyou said, she kissed his cheek and began to walk away from him. A radiant smile on her face. Kikyou began her walk and Kagome started her jog home._

_Kagome decided to take a route that would waste time on her way home. She didn't want Kikyou to think she was so close behind. When Kagome walked through the door, she saw Kikyou sleeping in her love seat with a book in her lap. Kagome shook her sister lightly._

"_Where is everyone?" she asked._

"_They went food shopping…" she mumbled._

"_I'm going to Sango's house." Kagome said. Kikyou nodded her head and turned her body. Kagome couldn't escape the thoughts of Inuyasha. Then she reminded herself of her sister and how she had seen and talked to him first._

_'But he kissed me first.' Kagome thought with a small smile forming on her lips. She wondered if he would ever find out as she walked to Sango's house. Sango's house was large; her father was the owner of a martial arts dojo. Kagome greeted the Nakamura head and ran straight to Sango's room._

Kagome woke up to Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Rin hovering over her. Her brown eyes traced all of their faces lingering on Inuyasha for a little bit longer than the others.

Sesshoumaru shone a light in her eyes and then pulled back. Rin looked exquisite in her almost tight black dress and black pumps. Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome once more and then turned to Inuyasha,

"She's fine, just a little exhausted." Sesshoumaru assured. Rin had done blood work on Kagome while she was asleep and she knew that there was something about Kagome that no one knew; probably not even herself. Either that or she didn't remember.

Kagome looked back to Inuyasha feeling as though there was still more she should know. Kagome sat up and looked at Rin. Rin forced a smile as she looked at her.

"Why don't you boys leave me and Kagome alone for a while, I won't bite her." Rin suggested with a wink.

"There isn't any harm in that." Sesshoumaru said while looking at his young wife.

"Good, now please exit the room." Rin said putting her nurse voice on while pushing Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru out of the room. Kagome looked around at the room she was in, it was her own. Kagome turned her gaze back to Rin with curiosity. Rin was going through the closet.

"You probably don't remember how we met, but its ok. I know you will." Rin said pulling out a black dress from the closet.

"Why don't you just tell me?" Kagome asked the younger girl.

"I want you to remember it for yourself." Rin said.

"I am sorry." Kagome apologized, feeling that she was causing Rin a great pain. "You're married to Sesshoumaru, right?" Kagome asked, she was still in disbelief that Sesshoumaru would take such a young bride.

"Yea, I am. You'll remember how that happened. I hope." Rin said with a smile, recalling it herself.

"I hope so, I remember the time I first saw Inuyasha." Kagome said.

"You're making great progress then. Usually people take a few days to remember anything at all." Rin said. Rin held a knee length, black dress out to Kagome. The sleeves were medium stopping just after the elbow. The boat neck line of the dress was flattering and had always been Kagome's favorite.

"Take that off." Rin said motioning to the dress she had on. Kagome pulled it off without complaint; somehow she knew that she wasn't going to win whatever battle she and Rin would start. Rin gave her the dress which she pulled over her head. Rin looked at the dress and hoped that maybe wearing it now, would make her remember the last time she wore it. Rin smiled and led Kagome to a chair that sat in front of a vanity.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked, she felt as if her head were under pressure as she looked at Rin's smiling face and saw sadness behind her eyes.

"You shouldn't have to remember anything, but I want you to." She confessed.

"Thank you." Kagome said. Kagome stared into the mirror and felt as if she were going somewhere else, she could feel it. Like a wave crashing through her a memory was flushing towards her.

It was like she was sitting in the chair but she was getting farther and farther away from where she was sitting. It was like she was floating further and further without even budging.

_This black dress had always suited Kagome, it brought out all of her beauty. She knew that when she wore this dress she would always outshine her twin. Kagome knew that she could conquer the world wearing this dress. Kagome was only twenty years old when she first put on this dress. It was at her sister's two year anniversary with Inuyasha. They always held a party and it was always a semi-formal affair._

_She walked into the room; her sister was dancing beside her husband. Kagome didn't mean to but found that she was staring into his golden eyes every time they were turned towards her. Kikyou had dressed nicely but she didn't dress as extravagant as she usually did, and when Kikyou laid her eyes on Kagome the shock was evident. Her lips parted slightly and her eyes widened._

_Kagome couldn't help but smile at Kikyou's reaction. Just as the song came to a close Kagome walked over to the refreshment table. Inuyasha followed with Kikyou not far behind him. She wasn't worried; she only wanted to comment on her sister's beauty._

"_You look divine." She complimented, Kagome turned with a smile holding a cup of punch._

"_Thank you, Kikyou." She said looking to her sister and her husband._

"_You really do look beautiful." Inuyasha said, a small blush swept across Kagome's cheekbones. This didn't go unnoticed by Inuyasha or Kikyou, but their reactions were completely different._

_Kikyou's eyes sharpened and she tightened her hold on Inuyasha. Inuyasha had smiled a little and then looked right into Kagome's chocolate brown eyes, a message going through both of their minds at the same time._

"_Inuyasha, we should get everyone seated." Kikyou interrupted their eye contact; Kagome blushed even deeper and turned her gaze to the cup in her hand._

"_I have to find Sango and Miroku, so I can find out where my table is." She stammered and turned away from the couple._

"_It's alright I can show you, knowing Miroku and Sango, they are probably **busy** right now." Inuyasha laughed. Kagome looked at him and smiled lightly, looking to her sister. Kikyou forced a smile and nodded._

"_That's very kind of you." Kikyou said to him._

"_I told you I knew how to be nice." He said to her flashing that boyish smile of his. Kikyou smiled at him and turned on her heel._

"_I have to make the announcement for everyone; maybe the busy bees will hear it and sit with Kagome." Kikyou said before she left. Kagome looked to Inuyasha who began to lead the way to her table._

"_Your sister has some big announcement tonight, and I don't even know what it is. She's got me kind of nervous." Inuyasha confessed._

"_I can't say that I know what it is." Kagome commented with a wistful smile._

"_Can't or won't?" he asked._

"_I didn't even know she had some big announcement." Kagome said, getting slightly annoyed at him._

"_What's with that look you're giving me?" he asked her as he frowned._

"_It's because you're questioning my honesty." Kagome answered him with her own frown._

"_Like I care." He said, as he pointed to her table. Inuyasha's hand grazed her shoulder and both felt a spark and slight tingles. Kagome stiffened, but quickly recovered and walked over to her table where Sango and Miroku already sat with a plate of food before them._

_Inuyasha stood there staring after Kagome as he touched his hand. Kikyou was waiting for him at their table. He rushed over and sat beside her. Kagome watched him sit beside Kikyou; he wore a confused expression on his face. Kagome forced herself to look away as she awaited her sister's announcement._

"_You realize that you were just staring down Inuyasha." Sango whispered to her best friend._

"_No I wasn't." Kagome denied it with a shake of her head._

"_You're lucky that it was only me who noticed." Sango stated with a nod of her head._

"_Well he makes stupid faces all the time, who wouldn't stare?" Kagome shrugged as if it weren't a big deal._

"_Kagome, we both know that you have feelings for him." Sango said. The lights in the hall dimmed and Kikyou took the microphone._

"_Even if I did, it wouldn't matter because he is a married man...married to my sister at that." Kagome said looking at Sango with a sad look in her eye._

"_I know, so we'll just have to set you up on a few dates, so you can meet someone." Sango suggested eager to help her friend move on._

"_Maybe…" Kagome said. Kikyou gripped the microphone and began to speak._

"_Today as you all know, me and Inuyasha's, second anniversary of marriage. I just wanted to thank everyone who has come out and everyone who supported us. I want to thank my two biggest supporters, Kagome and my mother._

_I also have a big announcement to make and hope you guys will all be surprised. Inuyasha, you have been a great partner to me these past two years and during the time we were dating. I hope you will continue to be the same during the endless years of fatherhood." Kikyou smiled brightly. Inuyasha choked on his drink._

**_Pregnant. _**_The realization tore through Kagome like a speeding bullet. Sango watched her friend's face sink with dread. Kagome knew that she shouldn't feel this way, because it was only natural. She knew that Kikyou would eventually get pregnant; that she and Inuyasha would start a family. Kagome felt as if all the breath from her lungs had been sucked out with that last statement._

"_Do you want to get some air?" Sango asked. Kagome shook her head even though the buildup of tears was evident. Miroku didn't understand why she was crying, Sango turned and said one thing._

"_She's just overwhelmed with happiness." It was an easy lie to get away with._

"_Women are so emotional." Miroku stated with a sigh; Sango only let him get away with said comment because she needed to get Kagome outside. Kagome stood up and walked to the bathroom._

_Sango followed worried for her friend. Sango quickly drew up an out of order sign and taped it to the entrance of the women's room. Kagome pushed herself in front of the mirror breathing heavily while staring into her own eyes. She was trying to calm herself, but it wasn't working. Sango wrapped her arm around her._

"_You can't let this bother you, because you will meet someone who is ten times better than he is." Sango said._

"_I know." She said, she knew it was possible but she knew that she would never want anyone else. Her coffee eyes were starting to clear as she walked over to the window. She heard some kind of struggle. She looked out and could see two big figures and one small one. Kagome shrugged it off at first and returned to the table. The thoughts of said figures making her feel like something terrible may have been happening._

"_Sango, I'm going to get some fresh air." Kagome said, she walked out of the building and to the corner._

"_Please, no more." She heard a younger female beg. Kagome turned her head around the corner and saw a girl being attacked by three boys who looked like they could be seniors at the local high school._

"_You said if we gave you money you would do whatever we asked." A boy with blonde hair shouted at her raising his hands against her._

"_I can't do this, please, don't make me do this." She begged, as another boy tore her tattered shirt off. Kagome watched frozen, she couldn't stand up to three boys who were bigger than her._

_She need to go get help, Kagome could hear the girl sobbing and slaps against her skin as she ran into the hall where she found the first man available. It was Sesshoumaru, he was protesting as he was dragged out towards the alleyway._

"_What are you doing!" he yelled pulling his arm away from Kagome._

"_There's a girl being attacked in the alleyway." Kagome said, Sesshoumaru looked at her with a disbelieving face and the pair rushed into the alley way. One of the boys was on top of her. Her clothes were all over the ground._

_Sesshoumaru rushed in and ripped him off of her, the other boys ran as Sesshoumaru beat the one that had been left behind. The girl was heaving and thrashing as Sesshoumaru wrapped his jacket around her. She kept screaming out no, until Sesshoumaru shook her._

"_I'm a doctor, and she is a nurse. We are trying to help you." He said firmly she stared into his amber eyes with her terrified russet eyes. She didn't make a sound._

"_How old are you?" Kagome asked her._

"_I'm turning fifteen tomorrow." she answered almost too quietly._

"_Did he do what he was trying to?" Sesshoumaru asked. She shook her head with tears pouring from her eyes. Her eye was bruised and her lip was swollen and bleeding._

_Sesshoumaru took a napkin from his pocket and wiped blood from her nose and mouth._

"_Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded her head vigorously._

"_What's your name?" Kagome asked the girl, judging by her clothes and the condition of her hair and body she must have been living on the streets._

"_Rin Watsureta." She answered._

"_Is there anyone we can call? Maybe your mom or dad?" Kagome asked gently._

"_I'm emancipated. I haven't seen my parents in two years." She answered._

"_Where do you live?" Sesshoumaru asked._

"_Shelters, alleys…wherever I'm closest." She answered. Kagome looked to Sesshoumaru._

"_Do you want to go to the hospital?" Kagome asked. She shook her head again._

"_Well you need to get checked out." Kagome said._

"_Why don't you take her home?" Sesshoumaru suggested._

"_She needs to get medical attention." Kagome looked at him as if he were retarded._

"_You do checkups everyday alongside a doctor. Are you saying that you haven't learned anything?" he said to her._

"_I have and I do know how but, she needs to be looked at thoroughly." Kagome fought._

"_So do it at home." Sesshoumaru said._

"_Why not you, you did all this before you specialized." Kagome said._

"_She isn't going to be comfortable around a man, **Kagome.**" He said._

"…_it's okay, I'll go with him." Rin said_

"_See, besides Sesshoumaru, I have issues that need to be sorted." Kagome said._

"**_Kagome!_**_"_

"**_KAGOME_**_"_

Kagome was ripped away from the memory and forced back to reality. She looked in the mirror and saw that she looked the same as she did that night. Rin smiled at her, Kagome wrapped her arms around her tightly. '_If I only had remembered how we met sooner._' Kagome thought.

Rin pulled away from Kagome and lifted a red tinted lip gloss to her lips. Rin, she noticed had always been beautiful, even when her hair was dull and she was crying. Kagome felt tears building in her eyes as she thought of her feelings for Inuyasha, kept in hiding for so long. Were they in hiding even now? Did he know about her feelings?

"I'm so sorry, that I didn't remember." Kagome erupted. Rin froze and looked at Kagome who was about to mess up her make up that Rin had just finished putting on.

"It's not a traditional meeting is it?" Rin said, reminded of how afraid she was when she was alone in the alley with those three boys.

"No, but I would have been glad to meet you under any circumstance." Kagome said with a small smile.

"Just do me a favor and try not to mess up your make up." Rin smiled.

"I won't, so I guess…that we should go downstairs." Kagome said awkwardly thinking of Inuyasha who was down there.

"It's only been twenty minutes." Rin said, looking at her cell phone.

"When did you and Sesshoumaru get married?" Kagome asked.

"Hopefully you'll remember that later." Rin said and handed Kagome a pair of nice tights and black short heeled boots. Kagome put them on.

"Ready?" Rin asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replied nervously, Sesshoumaru was waiting not too far off for Rin. He was at the bottom of the stair case leaning on the wall. His arm wrapped around her delicate shoulders.

Inuyasha was talking to a few other mourners from the hospital until he became speechless while his eyes drifted to Kagome. Kagome tried not to smile at his awe stricken face and kept her gaze downward. Inuyasha walked over to her with a smile on his face.

"Now, she probably would have killed you if she knew you were wearing that." Inuyasha teased.

"Why?" she asked.

"She knew that you would always look better in that then she did." He said.

"Hmm, maybe I should go change, then." She said while turning back to the stairs.

"Don't." he said.

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked.

"In a way maybe she would be glad." Inuyasha said, and looked into the distance where people were talking about Kikyou's greatest moments. Kagome looked at Inuyasha with a hidden longing in her. '_How disrespectful of me…_' Kagome thought to herself as she turned herself around to go talk to Rin whom she discovered being kissed by Sesshoumaru.

She couldn't see either of their faces only the silver of Sesshoumaru's hair and the deep brown of Rin's. It made her think of Kikyou and Inuyasha. Sango smiled at Kagome from a far and walked over letting go of Miroku.

"Aren't they just foul?" Sango laughed a little looking at the couple unaware of the observance.

"I think it's cute." Kagome said with a small smile.

"I swear, that man is a cradle robber." Sango said seriously.

"Oh hush, age doesn't matter when it comes to love." Kagome told her. Sango nodded and smiled turning away from the sight.

"So how are you feeling?" Sango asked.

"So how long have they been married?" Kagome asked.

"Hmmm…not long, about six months." Sango guessed as she stared into the imaginary calendar she'd created. "Hey, Kagome…you do know that there are certain things you need to remember that are better recalled sooner than later." she said awkwardly.

"Like what?" she asked.

"I won't tell you, because that's cheating." she said.

"So I guess there isn't a way I can force you to tell me." Kagome shrugged, her eyes once again drifting to the silver haired widower.

"Nope." Sango dramatized the p in the word, looking Kagome in the eye.

"What can you tell me?" Kagome asked in a sulky way.

"You aren't a virgin?" she guessed.

"…you're kidding." she stammered.

"Not a bit." Sango laughed.

"Lies." Kagome reinforced.

"It's the truth." Sango smiled.

"Well, with who?" Kagome asked.

"He is in this very room, but I'm not telling you." Sango teased. Kagome walked away from her amused friend and whenever she looked at a guy and he noticed she moved her eyes away with a blush on her cheeks.

She was walking around knowing that one of these guys had tasted her skin. That one of these men had seen all of her. Her eyes drifted over to Miroku, '_It's definitely not him, Sango wouldn't have been so light about it._' she thought as her eyes drifted again stopping at Sesshoumaru.

'_Hm. I don't think that would ever happen. He probably thinks I'm too much of an idiot._' she shook that thought away and looked towards Inuyasha. '_Maybe in a dream…he would never have betrayed Kikyou knowingly._' Kagome thought moving her gaze away from him slowly.

"Who?" she whispered to herself annoyed at her temporary ailment. She bumped into someone and saw Miroku.

"I'm sorry, Kagome." he apologized. Kagome nodded with a smile. He had been pointed out to her as Miroku, but she couldn't remember him that well.

"Miroku, right?" she only wanted to be sure and meant no offense.

"You got it." he laughed. Kagome felt a feeling of nausea taking her over and sprinted to the bathroom as best she could with the high heels that Rin had given her. She could feel her stomach tugging upwards and bile climbing her throat.

Now she was kneeling before the toilet bowl, she could feel someone rush in behind her and hold her hair back. She heaved as her stomach released whatever she may have consumed earlier. She felt herself getting that now familiar lightheaded feeling as she stared into the toilet bowl.

_It was early in the morning. Kagome needed to take a shower and as usual Kikyou was in the bathroom for what seemed to be hours. Kagome watched the door waiting for it to open as she curled her toes in the crème colored rug that covered her bedroom floor._

_She threw herself on her back and gave a loud sigh. Her chocolate eyes stuck to the ceiling until she could hear the bathroom door creak. Kikyou emerged. Her face was pale her eyes had small dark weights beneath them, and her lips were chapped. They were only juniors in high school._

"_You look like death." Kagome stated bluntly pointing at her._

"_I think I got a bug, maybe I should share it with you." Kikyou said, walking over to Kagome who retreated to the hallway._

"_I have a track meeting." Kagome shouted as she ran for the bathroom._

"_I think I…I'm going to be sick." Kikyou rushed passed Kagome and threw herself sloppily with her head over the toilet. Kagome rushed over and held her dark silky hair back as her sister emptied herself into the toilet._

_Pregnancy crossed Kagome's thoughts for a second but she knew that Kikyou was always thinking ahead. Kagome knew that Kikyou and Inuyasha hadn't even contemplated sex yet, well, at least she told herself that anyway. Kikyou started to cry with her elbows rested on the toilet seat. The tears fell from her eyes freely. A sob left her_

_._

"_I have such a headache…" she cried._

"_Maybe you should stay home…" Kagome suggested still holding her hair gently._

"_I promised Inuyasha I would go to his game." she protested and stood up so she could wash her mouth._

"_I'll go for you." Kagome said, she didn't like the idea of Kikyou being outside in the fall weather like this. Kikyou looked at her._

"_I don't know…what if he tries to talk to you…then he'll know it's not me…" she said looking at Kagome as if she were retarded._

"_I promise…I'll sit in the bleachers where you always sit and before the game is over I'll come home." Kagome promised._

"_Thanks…Ki…go…me…" she said, just as she used to when they were kids. Kagome threw her a smile and ran into the bathroom eager to take her shower. Once she was done she pulled on her school uniform and dashed out the door after sparing a few moments to look in on Kikyou who slept soundly on her bed. Kagome ran the rest of the way to school a piece of toast half inside her mouth, her bag held loosely in her hand._

_She nearly tripped and fell but pressed her hand against Inuyasha's back. He thought it was Kikyou for a moment and then he looked away._

"_Sorry…" Kagome muttered the apology and walked ahead of him._

"_Where's Kikyou?" she heard him ask._

"_She went early." she lied and continued ahead of him because she didn't want him to see the deep red blush that covered her cheeks. She hurried and walked into homeroom a little bit after the bell. She took her seat by Sango after apologizing to the class for her tardiness._

"_Did you flat iron your hair today?" her friend looked at her hair which was pin straight._

"_Yea…" she answered._

"_Why?"_

"_Because I promised Kikyou I'd be her today since she can't make it to Inuyasha's game." she said._

"_Why?"_

"_She's at home with a bug." Kagome answered._

"_Ohhhh." her friend mouthed and turned to see a boy their age rubbing her butt._

"_YOU PERVERT!" she yelled hitting him over the head with her fists._

"_When will you learn, Miroku?" Kagome threw her arms up ._

"_It's this cursed hand." he answered. Kagome and Sango both rolled their eyes at him._

"_Get over here!" Miroku heard Inuyasha call._

"_I'll talk to you beautiful maidens later." he said with a smile and walked away. Sango laughed at him a little bit and then turned to Kagome who was looking at her with an all-knowing face._

"_You like him don't you?" Kagome whispered._

"_No of course not." she denied the accusation. Kagome shrugged knowing fully well that it was a lie. She knew the same looks she gave Miroku were the ones she gave Inuyasha when he wasn't looking._

_Kagome closed her eyes and the day had gone so fast with anticipation that when time for the game came she nearly forgot to put on Kikyou's favorite red scarf and sunglasses. She lived in the bleachers waiting for the kendo match to begin. Her chocolate eyes stayed glued to Inuyasha even as her heart raced._

_He was excellent the way his rash and passionate attitude made the game he played mesmerizing. He caught sight of "Kikyou" and he lifted his mask with a charming smile full of white teeth._

"_He's so perfect." Kagome whispered to herself._

"_You guys are so cute." she heard a girl say beside her._

"_I didn't realize." Kagome said softly, trying to attain the eloquence that Kikyou produced effortlessly._

"_The way Inuyasha has become so much more gentle because of you. Before he met you he was mean and seemed cruel but now he's different." the girl said._

"_Well. I have to go, but it was nice seeing you." Kagome said, as she was brought back to reality. The reality being that she wasn't Kikyou and that Inuyasha was not hers._

"_Goodbye." Kagome heard the girl say. Inuyasha saw her getting up to leave and ended up so distracted that he got hit hard. Kagome turned as she heard the kendo hall turn to silence. She turned and ran straight to the edge of the field. She motioned him to come over with her hand. He came as the coach called a time out._

"_Why are you leaving? The game is almost over." he asked. Kagome didn't know what to do she knew that if she spoke a word he would know. She felt herself wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his, she could feel his tongue sweep across her bottom lip. She could hear the audience holler._

_He sucked her lower lip and then she pulled away and walked out of the hall. She didn't know the outcome of the game, but she knew that Kikyou would hear about this, and when she did it would be hell._

"_I'm sorry…" she whispered into the air. Kagome walked home fast. The house was dark save for the dim light in Kikyou's room. She was probably the only one home. Kagome climbed the steps to Kikyou's room and found her on the floor a small white stick in her hand. She was frozen. She seemed to be in shock, there were silent tears streaming down her cheeks._

"_What is that?" Kagome asked, already knowing._

"_I'm…pregnant…" she whispered. Kagome's world shattered around her. That would have to mean that she and Inuyasha had been having sex. Kagome looked at her sister and sunk to her knees._

"_Kikyou, what are you going to do?" Kagome asked._

"_I don't know…" she said quietly._

"_Adoption?" she suggested placing a hand on her shoulder._

"_I'm going to get…rid of it." she said._

"_But that's like killing a human! An innocent baby!" Kagome yelled._

"_It's not human until the third month. It can't be more than two." Kikyou said._

"_It still isn't right." Kagome said._

"_Neither is kissing your sister's boyfriend." Kagome froze._

"_Yea. I heard about. Did you think I wouldn't know? I got a text from Inuyasha ten minutes ago. Thanking me for the kiss and being there at his game." Kikyou said._

"_Kikyou…he was going to lose the game, because he thought you were leaving. He got so distracted." Kagome said._

"_Do you think I care! If he had lost the game, as long as he thought I was there." Kikyou yelled._

"_I'm sorry, but your baby has nothing to do with this." Kagome said._

"_It's not even human yet." Kikyou said._

"_Kikyou please!" Kagome begged._

"_Why do you even care!" Kikyou yelled. Kagome knew that the stress was getting to her._

"_Think of Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted._

"_I am!" Kikyou said tears streaming from her eyes._

"_I think he deserves to know!" Kagome said._

"_IT ISN'T HIS!" Kikyou broke._

"…_what?" Kagome asked in shock, her blood seemed to stop._

"_I got drunk at a party and I had sex with Naraku…" Kikyou whispered almost ashamed._

"_How could you do that to him!" Kagome asked._

"_I don't know." Kikyou said._

"_The father still deserves to have a say." Kagome told her._

"_I don't want anyone to know. You can't say anything." Kikyou grabbed Kagome and pulled her down to her knees._

"_I won't say anything." Kagome said searching Kikyou's brown eyes._

"_Thank you…" she said, followed by shuddered breathing._

"_Calm down." Kagome wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders. Kikyou sobbed into the crook of Kagome's neck._

Kagome shook her head and walked over to the sink to wash out her mouth. She stared at herself in the mirror and sighed. There was so much that she didn't remember. She had never thought that Kikyou, the smiling bride in the wedding portrait, could cheat on her future husband. Kagome tugged a loose hair behind her ear. She could hear someone climbing up the stairs.

"Do you think that Kagome will be alright once she remembers?" the voice belonged to Sango.

"Kagome, will be able to handle it." this time it was Sesshoumaru's young wife, Rin.

Kagome heard their heels click down the hall and then down the steps. Kagome walked out and smoothed the lines from her dress. She began to walk away but found her face had come in contact with the firm chest of a man. She raised her eyes which met the brilliant amber possessed by Inuyasha.

"I'm so sorry." Kagome mumbled.

"It's alright. I'm used to your klutziness." Inuyasha said with a slight smirk.

"I am not a klutz." Kagome fought.

"Hm. You probably don't remember then. You tripped over your own feet and landed…" he stopped his sentence short just to tease her.

"Where?" she asked.

"Right here." he pulled her into a room and pressed his lips to hers. Kagome melted into him so naturally. Her arms wrapped around his neck then one hand sunk to the small of her back and the other to the back of her neck.

It felt as her body was undergoing a lighting storm. Her toes curled inside her heels as he pressed her back against the door to close it before they were witnessed. Kagome felt as if a flood was rushing over her.

_Kagome wasn't supposed to be home, but she decided to try and sleep off some of the liquor she had consumed at a party. Everyone in the high school attended. Kikyou had been there and so had Inuyasha. Inuyasha got a little possessive of Kikyou and had not been allowing her to dance with anyone that wasn't him._

_Kikyou being a very independent woman didn't like it in the least. Kagome had been drinking in a dark corner when the argument began. She listened closely not wanting anything to do with it. She could hear Inuyasha's words._

"_What do you think I don't know what happened at the last party!" he had spat when Kikyou turned to leave. Kagome looked for her, and found her sister's frozen back._

_Kikyou turned with anger and walked right up to Inuyasha._

"_What do you think happened?" she asked calmly with every word radiating the opposite._

"_You and I both know. I'm not going to embarrass you here so I'll wait until we can talk about this at your house." Inuyasha said. He cared about her and knew that this would pass in a while. Inuyasha was however drunk and felt betrayed by her. Inuyasha hadn't known about what happened until a day before the party._

"_Well, don't wait up!" she smirked and turned around. Inuyasha stormed out of the house. Kagome was wide eyed but she couldn't leave him alone at their house, even if her relatives were gone for the weekend. Kagome looked to Sango worried._

"_I'll be fine, go on." she slurred. Kagome stood up with a wobble and then she ran after Inuyasha. She was surprised when she saw him sitting on the couch inside fast asleep. Kagome crept up the stairs in a stealthy manner, somewhat wondering why she was being so secretive in her own house._

_Kagome brushed her teeth and climbed into her bed pulling the covers over her. It was a half hour later when she heard someone coming up the stairs to her room. Kagome climbed out of bed and started to come down the steps. She tripped over her own foot and fell towards Inuyasha open armed, her lips somehow had landed smack down upon his._

"_I'm sorry." Kagome said._

"_Don't be…" he said, he kissed her fully. Kagome wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to her bedroom where he kissed her lips hungrily. Kagome felt the shocks of his kiss explode in her mouth like pop rocks. He laid her underneath him. Kagome knew this was wrong, but she couldn't stop herself. She didn't have the will power to stop him._

_Instead she twined her fingers in his silver hair as he moved his lips to her neck. Kagome felt him tug her top upward. She lifted her arms and tugged the shirt off. His hands roamed over the sides of her pelvic bone and then over her ribs finally reaching her silk covered breasts. He was gentle and rough at the same time. His hands rough, his kisses gentle._

"_Inuyasha…" she moaned his name. She wondered if he realized who she was._

"_K…" he breathed in deeply._

"_Did she really sleep with him?" he asked her. Kagome propped herself up on her elbows._

"_This is wrong, we shouldn't be doing this." Kagome said._

"_Answer me!" he shouted._

"_Yes…" she confessed, somehow she found it impossible to lie to him. Inuyasha pressed his lips to hers again with a stronger need then before._

'_Is this only revenge against Kikyou?' she asked herself. She felt him tugging her pants off. She got shivers when his fingers undid her zipper and grazed ever so slightly over her most sensitive area. Kagome breathed in deeply struggling not to moan._

"_Don't hold it back. I want to hear you." he requested as she kicked off the last of her pants. Inuyasha kissed her again his knees on either side of her hips. Kagome felt his kiss hypnotizing all thoughts of right and wrong far away from her mind. He helped Kagome as she fumbled with his zipper. He smiled to himself and helped her take them off. With nervous hands he unhooked Kagome's bra, Kagome blushed at the sudden coldness. He touched her nervously._

'_Could you be a virgin?' she thought as a moan left her lips. Inuyasha slowly grew more bold taking a bud between his lips. Kagome moaned and arched against him. His hand did not neglect the other although his lips were preoccupied._

_Kagome felt something building up inside her, an enormous heat in the pit of her core. Inuyasha, it seemed couldn't take it anymore. He pulled his boxers off and slowly spread Kagome's legs. Kagome knew that it would hurt, or at least she expected it to. She waited for the pain, but he hadn't moved._

"_Fast or Slow?" he asked her, apparently he was up to date on the rumors as well._

"_Slow…" she whispered almost questioningly._

"_I'll try." he said and as promised he began to enter very slowly._

"_Hurry up." she complained, it felt as if she were tearing slowly._

"_You'll be more sore in the morning that way." Inuyasha said._

"_I don't care." she almost shouted at him. Inuyasha pressed his lips to her and in a swift steady motion he had entered her completely. Kagome bit his lip lightly in pain while a tear slipped from her eyes._

_Inuyasha groaned in pleasure over her as he slipped in and out of her. Kagome wondered if he even knew she had been a virgin. He continued for a while and pulled out to put a condom on. It seemed that he had forgotten and then he pounded right back in pulling her hips against him with every thrust. Kagome could feel her body tightening and a loud moan left her lips as her body tightened to the maximum and then relaxed all in the same instant._

"_Inuyasha…" she heard her voice say breathlessly. He held out a little longer and then reached his own climax._

"_Ka…" he breathed out collapsing beside her. She got up and saw the blood that had trickled from between her legs and onto him and her sheets. He looked at the sheet and then looked up at her with wide eyes._

"_Why is there blood?" he asked her._

"_I was a virgin…" Kagome whispered. He looked at her and got dressed swiftly._

"_I'm sorry…" he apologized to her in shock._

"_It's n-nothing." she said. Suddenly her wrongs caught up with her mind as she looked at him._

"_I won't say anything…" he said._

"_Me neither." Kagome covered herself and walked to the bathroom. She could hear Inuyasha walking down the stairs and let a few tears leave her. Kagome washed herself, pulled a pajama on and dropped herself in the warmth of her mother's bed because at the moment she didn't want to be in her room._

"Oh my god." she pulled away from him.

"I was stupid back then." he told her.

"I know so was I." Kagome said.

"I should have realized that it was always you I loved." Inuyasha said while staring into her eyes lovingly.

"Stop it! This is your wife's funeral." Kagome said overcome with emotion.

"You don't realize, do you?" he said getting angry. He kissed her again, she hit his chest with her fists but didn't pull her lips from his.

_Kagome stood beside Kikyou, who wore a beautiful white lace wedding dress that clung to her in a neat and classy way. It hugged her hips and breasts, but fell loose around her knees trailing behind her at least two feet._

_Kagome was in a red dress beside her. It was a halter with a plunging neckline. Kagome looked amazing, but still did not outshine the bride. Inuyasha was wearing the classic tuxedo with his hair tied neatly. Kagome noticed that he looked just like his father with his hair tied in a ponytail._

_She tried to keep her gaze focused on Kikyou, because it was her big day. Inuyasha looked to Kagome when he thought Kikyou wasn't looking. Kagome forced her gaze down and struggled to hide a blush. It was just about time for the priest to begin with the vows._

"_Do you Inuyasha Taiga take Kikyou Higurashi to be your lawful wedded wife, in sickness and health, richer or poorer better or worse?" Inuyasha stared into Kikyou's eyes and nodded._

"_I do." he smiled at her._

"_And do you Kikyou Higurashi, take this man, Inuyasha Taiga, to be your lawful wedded husband, in sickness and health, richer or poorer, for better or worse, till death do you part?" Kikyou looked into Inuyasha's eyes and smiled._

"_I do." she said._

"_Well, Inuyasha, you may now kiss your bride." the priest smiled at the young couple._

_Inuyasha went in for a full passionate kiss. Everyone watched, parent's with tears in their eyes. Kagome felt a spark of envy inside of her. She wished it were her that he was kissing._

_They all traveled to the reception hall. It was beautifully decorated. Everything was white with a light purple glow to the flowers and lights. Inuyasha and Kikyou began their first dance as a married couple. They were so filled with happiness when they took their pictures. Kagome watched with a jealous look in her eyes. Sango placed a hand on her shoulder._

"_You know, you shouldn't make it so obvious." she whispered._

"_What are you talking about?" she asked._

"_That you're in love with him." Kagome closed her eyes._

"_I'm not." she lied._

"_I'm your best friend, I know it's the truth." Kagome looked at her and shook her head._

"_It's not like it matters anyway, they are married and he loves her." Kagome whispered._

"_Don't worry, you'll fall in love with someone else." Sango assured her._

"_I hope so." Kagome said._

"I can't do this…" Kagome pulled away from him.

"Kagome, come to your senses." Inuyasha said.

"I am in my perfect senses. I can't do this to my sister." Kagome said.

"You don't get it do you." Inuyasha was getting angry.

"I don't get it, not one bit. Your wife is dead and you are here coming on to me." Kagome grabbed her head in frustration.

"We've been together for a year! Kagome we've been sneaking around Kikyou for a year." Inuyasha burst as quietly as he could.

"You're lying." Kagome sobbed but she could feel it was the truth.

"I wouldn't lie about that." Inuyasha said.

"She was pregnant with your baby, when you say we were _sneaking around._" Kagome said with disgust.

"It was a mistake and I couldn't just deny her, because she would have found about us." he said.

"How could I do something so…" Kagome said. Inuyasha covered her lips with two fingers and looked her in the eyes.

"You don't remember what she did to both of us do you?" Inuyasha asked.

"I only remember bits and pieces." Kagome said.

"She cheated on me with your fiancé." Inuyasha spat. Kagome felt a pain in her chest.

"No…no…no…stop…lying to me." she cried.

_The hospital was just beginning to calm down around Kagome. Kagome knew when she chose this career path that being a nurse was hard work. The kind of work that would keep you away from home at odd hours of the night. It was dark outside, and nearly three in the morning. Kagome had her scrubs on and her feet although inside comfortable shoes were aching._

"_I'm so sorry that we had to call you in, Kagome." her boss apologized._

"_It's alright, I knew what I was doing when I took this job." Kagome smiled, there were small dark bags beneath her coffee colored eyes._

"_Well go on, get home to that fiancé of yours." her boss smiled._

"_I'll see you later then." Kagome said and made her way to her small blue sedan._

_Kagome took a deep breath and turned her car on. She drove home eager to climb into bed with her fiancé. Even if for just a few hours she wanted to feel his arms wrap around her._

_Being with him was the closest she felt to being with Inuyasha. She opened the door and heard some noises. It sounded like moans, but that couldn't be; he had promised to stop watching erotic films. Kagome took a step closer to the room and looked through the keyhole. Then she saw her sister on top of him covered in sweat moving rhythmically._

"…_oh my god." she whispered and stood up. She felt like her heart was exploding._

"_This isn't happening." she told herself, she opened the door wide with her eyes closed. The twin gasps made her realize that it was happening._

"_Oh don't stop on my account." Kagome sat at the end of the bed. They both watched her in shock._

"_This isn't…" Kikyou began._

"_It's exactly what it looks like, and Kouga, don't even say you thought she was me." Kagome said, tearing off her ring and giving it to Kikyou._

"_Oh wait, you're already married. Maybe you can pawn it and use it to finance your next affair." Kagome spat._

"_Kagome, please." Kouga said as he pushed Kikyou off of him and wrapped a sheet around his waist._

"_No, we're done." she said with tears falling from her eyes._

"_It wasn't his fault. I pretended to be you." Kikyou said._

"_Why?" Kagome asked._

"_Because I was jealous of what you have." she said._

"_You ARE MARRIED." Kagome shouted._

"_I know, and I also know that he will never love me the way he used to." Kikyou said._

"_Why is that?" Kagome asked bitterly._

"_You gave him something that I didn't." Kikyou said._

"_What is that?" Kagome asked._

"_You gave him your virginity and loved him even when he came back to me." Kikyou said._

"…" _Kagome was speechless._

"_Did you think I didn't know? I went home that night around a half hour after you. I heard you guys upstairs." Kikyou said._

"_I have barely spoke three words to him since that night. I regretted it because I knew it would hurt you. I moved on with Kouga and I come home to find you in bed with him. How many times have you cheated on Inuyasha? He has only done it to you once and he was drunk and I was drunk. IT was a mistake and you know it." Kagome said. Kouga stood in the background still as a ghost._

"_Kagome, I'm sorry. I won't ever do this to you again. I'm begging you to forgive him just this once and take him back. I tricked him Kagome. He really didn't know." Kikyou said._

"_Go home, Kikyou. I will deal with Kouga. I can't look at you right now." Kagome said._

_After Kikyou left the house was silent. Kagome breathed in deeply. Kagome looked at Kouga, he had always been so possessive and it never bothered her, because it showed he cared about her._

"_Throw out the bed set. Go buy a new one set it up. I'm going back to the hospital for the night. Everything better be set up when I get home." Kagome said grabbing her car keys._

"_Please don't go." Kouga said._

"_I need time to think." Kagome answered._

"_I'm sorry." he said. Kagome ignored him and walked out with a pair of clean changing clothes and her spare scrubs. She returned to the hospital and to the overnight quarters._

_She took a shower and climbed into a bunk. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Kagome didn't want Kouga back, she didn't plan to forgive her sister, and she knew that she was going to take charge of her feelings for Inuyasha._

_It was the very next day that Kagome saw him. He was working but she had walked right into his office being mistaken for Kikyou. Kagome walked right up to him and planted a kiss on his lips._

"_I'm tired of you getting hurt." she whispered._

"_So stop hurting me." he said._

"_Do you even know who I am?" she said between kisses._

"_Kagome." he said._

"_I love you, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered in his ear._

"_I've loved you for a long time, Kagome. I just didn't know it." he kissed her neck._

"_Let's be each other's secret." she said._

"_Leave Kouga." he requested._

"_I already have." she tore his shirt open, all the buttons coming undone._

"_I'll leave her, tonight." he said._

"_No, not yet." she said._

Kagome looked into Inuyasha's eyes and brought her hands to his cheeks cupping them loosely before kissing him.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"It's alright." he told her pulling away.

"It's almost time to take her to the cemetery." Kagome mentioned opening the door and walked to the hallway.

"I really just hope you don't remember some things about her." he said.

"Like what?" she asked walking down the stairs.

"It's nothing really." he said, they both noticed the eyes that were on them. Kagome saw a brush of red flowers pass them by and she felt as if she could smell metal, a familiar copper smell that every nurse had learned within their first year. The smell of blood.

_The smell hit her nose, it was like copper. The smell was like that of a penny, it was so metallic. She found that she couldn't breathe. She could hear someone gurgling and sobbing at the same time. It sounded like someone was choking on water._

_A sob escaped the person and then Kagome found the strength to open her eyes. As she did she wished that she had been born blind. There was blood on the walls. There was a pool of blood on the polished wood floor. In the middle of the room was the body of her twin sister, gurgling, drowning in her own blood._

_Kagome was shaking in fear as she slowly almost robotically knelt in the blood that surrounded her sister. Kikyou's eyes were filled with fear, her beautiful face had droplets of blood on it and tears pouring from her eyes._

"_Kikyou, who did this?" Kagome sobbed pulling Kikyou into her arms. Kikyou turned her gaze to the mirror. She feebly lifted a finger to the mirror._

"_I don't understand. Kikyou please!" she cried. Kagome was covered in blood now her hands._

"_Kagome, I still love you…no matter what." she coughed the words up. Kagome felt her throat tightening she wasn't going to be able to talk much longer. She saw the tears in her sister's clothes. The stab wounds._

_Kagome had trained for this, she had become a nurse so that she could help save people and now she held her dying sister. Kikyou started to shiver in Kagome's arms. The blood loss was starting to make her cold. Kagome pulled Kikyou and folded her arms around her trying to warm her._

"_Somebody! PLEASE HELP US!" Kagome started screaming desperately. She didn't want to leave her dying sister alone. The stab wounds were all in vital places, in major organs. The person who did this had to have known what they were doing. Kagome kept screaming with Kikyou's eyes stuck on her face. She looked at Kagome._

"_I forgive you, Kagome. I forgive you for everything." Kikyou said to her. Kagome didn't understand what she was saying or why she was saying this. Kagome held her sister and stroked her blood soaked hair._

"_For what? What have I done wrong?" Kagome whispered as she heard sirens in the distance. Kikyou raised her cold hand to Kagome's face and cupped her cheek._

"_For everything, I forgive you." Kikyou said as her eyes closed softly; her last breath was taken and used to say those words to Kagome._

"_KIKYOU! PLEASE! KIKYOU!" she screamed over and over again. Kagome began to sob over her sister's body. Kagome's form wracked._

_Apparently Sesshoumaru had been on his break when he had heard the address where an ambulance was being sent. He had hopped in and used the time he usually spent reading a book rushing over to his brother's house. When he arrived he ran to where he heard Kagome's heart wrenching sobs._

_Sesshoumaru was used to the smell of blood, he usually smelled it during surgery. He was a surgeon after all. He looked at Kagome and grabbed her blood covered hands. He needed to get her away from the body so that paramedics could bag the body and get it on the stretcher._

_He had never particularly liked Kagome. This was a different case of scenario. She threw herself into his arms getting blood all over his white coat as she did so. She sobbed into his chest. He forced himself to wrap his arms around her._

"_Do you know who did this?" he asked with a smooth, ever emotionless voice._

"_I don't understand why this is happening." Kagome didn't answer his question._

"_Kagome listen to me!" he shouted._

"_You need to take a deep breath and tell me if you know who did this!" he told her as she stared at him in shock._

"_I don't know.'" she said._

"_Kagome you need to take a shower, right now." he ordered her, he went to Inuyasha's bathroom and turned the water on cold. He recognized the signs the dazed face, the shaking body, the irrational mumblings she had started to mutter._

"_I saw a blue jay today, Sesshoumaru. He was so beautiful." Kagome said biting her nails as cops walked in and out of the room. Sesshoumaru looked at her eyes her pupils were large. He picked her up and put her in the freezing water._

_A loud gasp left her mouth as she tried to jump out. Sesshoumaru held her tight in there and then she passed out from the mental stress of what she had seen. Kagome could hear everything that went on around her as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She heard the police taking pictures and talking about all the blood and possibilities of Kikyou's murder._

Kagome stiffened as she watched a few people carry Kikyou's casket outside. She followed along with the other mourners. Soon everyone stood in the snow covered cemetery, there was only one fresh hole and it was reserved for Kikyou Taiga.

Kagome placed a hand over her abdomen and held her urge to vomit from the memory she had just regained. Kagome held a single red rose between her fingertips. As she watched the casket get lowered into the six foot deep hole. She looked up at Rin, Miroku, and Sango, the only people she couldn't remember.

She felt a pain in her head, almost like a soft yet piercing beep that only she could hear.

She caught Rin's eyes and stared, her pupil dilated as she saw Rin covered in blood. She gasped lightly. Anyone would think that Kagome was just upset about her sister.

_Kagome stared at Rin. In her hands were Kagome's future; both hers and Inuyasha's. Rin looked at Kagome with a strong look and then hugged her. Kagome was anxious she could feel her blood pulsing through her veins, she could hear her heart beating erratically in her chest. Kagome looked at her sister who lay in the bed behind the glass._

"_Well?" she asked nervously._

"_Kikyou will probably never be able to carry a healthy child. Her uterus is too scarred. She's had multiple abortions over the years and now she's paying the price. According to her chart she's had at least four, this time wasn't because she wanted to get rid of the baby. It was because her uterus can't handle it. The chances of her conceiving another child are slim." Rin said after looking at the chart._

"_You know, I warned her so many times." Kagome said._

"_She didn't want him to know about her affairs." Rin was well aware of the situation._

"_I know that. Did you get my labs back?" Kagome asked with a sigh._

"_I think you should sit down." Rin smiled._

"_So it must be good? I don't have some psycho disease?" she asked lightly._

"_I'm not supposed to show you these, but I'm going to risk my job for you anyway." Rin said._

"_What?" she asked nervously._

"_You're pregnant, with twins." Rin smiled showing her a ultrasound picture._

"_When did you do an ultrasound on me?" Kagome asked shocked._

"_Well, when you passed out I thought I would take advantage of your disposition and I rolled you all the way to the ultrasound techs." Rin confessed._

"_How far?" Kagome asked._

"_About a month and a half. Well when are you going to tell him?" Rin asked._

"_I'm not going to. I can't do this to Kikyou anymore. I love him, but look at what she's going through." Kagome said._

"_She put herself there." Kagome listened to Rin's harsh words, knowing that it was the truth._

"_She'd kill me." Kagome said._

"_I'll take care of her, with Sango and Miroku." Rin said._

"_What do you mean?" Kagome asked._

"_I found her trying to seduce Sesshoumaru." Rin said._

"_Still you shouldn't even think about doing that." Kagome said._

"_I'm not you, I can't forgive her and I won't. Back in the day she would have been stoned to death. I'll make it quick." Rin said._

"_Rin, please, think about this." Kagome said._

"_Do you think I'm serious?" Rin asked her with a laugh. There was something however in the back of her eyes that made Kagome nervous._

"_I don't know." Kagome said._

"_Don't worry about it." Rin said._

Kagome stared at Rin for a long time and then her eyes drifted to Sango and Miroku. They looked at her and then quickly looked down and held tighter to a small bump she had noticed as she covered her abdomen.

'_Pregnant with twins…Inuyasha's…twins.' _she thought and then stared at Rin who was looking straight at her.

_It was just becoming the evening and the light was taking on a dark orange, when Kagome had gotten home from work. She was planning to relax this evening, maybe put on a movie and take a long bubble bath._

_Instead she got a call from her sister, who had still been begging her for forgiveness. Kagome looked down at her feet and then picked up her cell phone. She was drunk, and not just a little bit. She was all you can imagine drunk._

"_I hear you fucked my husband recently." Kikyou slurred._

"_I hear you fucked my fiancé, oh wait no I saw that." Kagome said._

"_I hear your knocked up, or rather I looked at your charts today." Kikyou blurted out._

"_It's not my fault that you had so many abortions that you can't even get pregnant anymore." Kagome said, instantly feeling horrible about the low blow she'd delivered._

"_So what! I never wanted any kids." Kikyou said with a tightened voice._

"_Good cause you aren't having any." Kagome shouted._

"_Drive me home?" she asked._

"_No, call one of your side dishes." Kagome refused._

"_Please…" she begged._

"_I'm going to hang up." Kagome threatened._

"_So did my husband knock you up?" Kikyou asked. Kagome refused to deal with this and hit the end button of her phone. Kagome turned on a movie and watched it waiting for Inuyasha to come over._

_When he arrived they watched a movie in each other's arms and fell asleep on the couch, but not before trading some physical affections. Kagome woke up in his arms feeling something was wrong. It wasn't late just about the time that he usually got out of work. She got dressed and drove to his and Kikyou's house._

_Where she saw a figure sitting in the kitchen at the bar. Kagome rushed in and saw Rin sitting at the bar._

"_What have you done?" Kagome asked, looking at Rin's blood covered hands the knife in hanging from her fingers. She was covered in blood._

"_I didn't leave any of my DNA. The only way I'll get caught is if she lives long enough to tell or you rat me out." Rin said._

"_What are you talking about?" Kagome asked._

"_I had to do it Kagome, for you. She was going to poison you. I heard her talking to Kagura in the hospital about it. She found out about you and Inuyasha and then that you were pregnant. I followed her tonight. When she called you she wasn't drunk, she just wanted you to come alone." Rin said._

"_No, that can't be true." Kagome stammered._

"_I cleaned everything up, at least anything that had my DNA." Rin said._

"_What did you gain from this?" Kagome asked._

"_She was trying to seduce Sesshoumaru, and I can't have that happen. I'm pregnant Kagome. I'm four months, but I did a good job hiding it." Rin showed Kagome her bump._

"_Why?" Kagome asked._

"_I guess twins run in the family." Rin said._

"_Stop it! Answer Me!" Kagome shouted._

"_You saved my life so I had to save yours. I have to go now." Rin said. She cleaned herself and every speck of blood from the kitchen expertly._

"_Where did you learn all that?" Kagome asked._

"_My dad, work in crime scene clean up. He taught me everything after he killed my mother. That's when I left." Rin said._

"_GO! Hurry up, before someone comes." Kagome said. Kagome ran up the stairs._

Kagome heard the priest uttering the last words of his small sermon and prayer for Kikyou.

"_Sleeping in the dust but we will not let time erase us._" he said. Kagome dropped a red rose on her sisters casket and slipped her hand in Inuyasha's after all the mourners had left. All except Rin, Sango, Miroku, and Sesshoumaru. They all stood around dropping a red rose in one after the other.

"_Goodbye, Kikyou._" Kagome said, walking away with Inuyasha's hand in hers.

**_Fin._**


End file.
